Arriving at —— Dr. Wilkinson will arrange with the hotel clerk to notify him when anybody calls. At 10 a.m. Dr. Jennings will be announced.
“Tell him,” Dr. Wilkinson will say to the bell boy, “that I am very busy just now and must ask him to excuse me for ten minutes. I will be able to see him promptly then.”
This gives the doctor time to get out the Jennings correspondence and refresh his mind as to the particulars of the Smith case. Then he sends word to have Dr. Jennings shown up.
“Sorry to have been compelled to keep you waiting, doctor,” and a warm cordial handshake, greets the country physician who is at once impressed with the fine appearance and friendly manner of his visiting brother. There is a little preliminary talk about the trip, the country, the weather, etc., and then the Smith case is taken up and thoroughly discussed.
“If I had time,” says the specialist, “I’d like to see Smith, but that’s out of the question. Your very clear and able description of the case has impressed me strongly. One of these days when I happen to be out here again with more time on my hands, and the patient is still living, I’ll ask you to take me out to see him. I understand it’s only a short distance from here.”
“Just thirty minutes’ ride on the Lincoln branch, doctor,” replies Jennings. “Why can’t you run out with me this afternoon? No time like the present, you know.”
“The trouble is that I will be busy until 4 p.m., and then it will be too late.”
“Not at all. There’s a train at 4:30 and we can be at Smith’s home by 5. Better go. Barring his ailment you’ll find Smith a good host. He’s rich and has a fine home, and the best of everything. I know he’ll be glad to pay liberally for your opinion whether it is favorable or unfavorable.”
“Well, doctor, if you think there is no doubt of my being able to get back so as to take the 10:30 train for Chicago I guess I’ll have to go with you. Really I should not do it as I have a hard day’s work ahead of me, but you have aroused my interest in the case and I would like to see the patient. I’ll meet you at the depot at train time. Until then good bye. I can’t begin to tell you how much I appreciate your call. If conditions were different I would insist on your being my guest for the day, but, as you well know we medical men are not our own masters.”
Without appearing to hurry he gets rid of Dr. Jennings before it is time to receive the next caller and, by exercising a little tact, the various people with whom he has made engagements are kept from meeting one another. Out of the four appointments he has made with laymen the doctor will ordinarily obtain fees from at least two, if not all four of his callers. Just how he does it will be explained in another chapter.