andheadvisedmeifeverIwasmyselfillnottoallowanydoctortotakemorethananextremelysmallquantityofblood。Longbeforetyphoidfeverwasrecognisedasdistinct，myfathertoldmethattwoutterlydistinctkindsofillnesswereconfoundedunderthenameoftyphusfever。Hewasvehementagainstdrinking，andwasconvincedofboththedirectandinheritedevileffectsofalcoholwhenhabituallytakeneveninmoderatequantityinaverylargemajorityofcases。Butheadmittedandadvancedinstancesofcertainpersonswhocoulddrinklargelyduringtheirwholeliveswithoutapparentlysufferinganyevileffects，andhebelievedthathecouldoftenbeforehandtellwhowouldthusnotsuffer。Hehimselfneverdrankadropofanyalcoholicfluid。Thisremarkremindsmeofacaseshowinghowawitnessunderthemostfavourablecircumstancesmaybeutterlymistaken。Agentleman—farmerwasstronglyurgedbymyfathernottodrink，andwasencouragedbybeingtoldthathehimselfnevertouchedanyspirituousliquor。Whereuponthegentlemansaid，’Come，come，Doctor，thiswon’tdo——thoughitisverykindofyoutosaysoformysake——forI
knowthatyoutakeaverylargeglassofhotginandwatereveryeveningafteryourdinner。’（Thisbeliefstillsurvives，andwasmentionedtomybrotherin1884byanoldinhabitantofShrewsbury。——F。D。）Somyfatheraskedhimhowheknewthis。Themananswered，’Mycookwasyourkitchen—
maidfortwoorthreeyears，andshesawthebutlereverydayprepareandtaketoyoutheginandwater。’Theexplanationwasthatmyfatherhadtheoddhabitofdrinkinghotwaterinaverytallandlargeglassafterhisdinner;andthebutlerusedfirsttoputsomecoldwaterintheglass，whichthegirlmistookforgin，andthenfilleditupwithboilingwaterfromthekitchenboiler。
\"Myfatherusedtotellmemanylittlethingswhichhehadfoundusefulinhismedicalpractice。Thusladiesoftencriedmuchwhiletellinghimtheirtroubles，andthuscausedmuchlossofhisprecioustime。Hesoonfoundthatbeggingthemtocommandandrestrainthemselves，alwaysmadethemweepthemore，sothatafterwardshealwaysencouragedthemtogooncrying，sayingthatthiswouldrelievethemmorethananythingelse，andwiththeinvariableresultthattheysoonceasedtocry，andhecouldhearwhattheyhadtosayandgivehisadvice。Whenpatientswhowereveryillcravedforsomestrangeandunnaturalfood，myfatheraskedthemwhathadputsuchanideaintotheirheads;iftheyansweredthattheydidnotknow，hewouldallowthemtotrythefood，andoftenwithsuccess，ashetrustedtotheirhavingakindofinstinctivedesire;butiftheyansweredthattheyhadheardthatthefoodinquestionhaddonegoodtosomeoneelse，hefirmlyrefusedhisassent。
\"Hegaveonedayanoddlittlespecimenofhumannature。WhenaveryyoungmanhewascalledintoconsultwiththefamilyphysicianinthecaseofagentlemanofmuchdistinctioninShropshire。Theolddoctortoldthewifethattheillnesswasofsuchanaturethatitmustendfatally。Myfathertookadifferentviewandmaintainedthatthegentlemanwouldrecover:hewasprovedquitewronginallrespects（Ithinkbyautopsy）andheownedhiserror。Hewasthenconvincedthatheshouldneveragainbeconsultedbythisfamily;butafterafewmonthsthewidowsentforhim，havingdismissedtheoldfamilydoctor。Myfatherwassomuchsurprisedatthis，thatheaskedafriendofthewidowtofindoutwhyhewasagainconsulted。