“What is it?” asked the sick man.
“Oh! it’s blue pills to touch your liver; come, take it, and don’t be asking questions.”
“How many of them are there?” inquired the patient after swallowing several.
“There are just seven of them, but what’s that to you? it won’t do you any good to know it.”
“Why, the doctor said he would send me six. Perhaps you are not giving me mine.”
“Just you take what’s sent to you. If you don’t take the whole seven, they won’t touch your liver a bit; six would be of no use at all.”
The man with the untouched liver swallowed the pills, and soon I heard the first watch rousing another sick man with the same formula of “Here’s your medicine now, wake up and take it—it’s blue pills to touch your liver.”
“How many of them are there?” asked this patient.
“There are just six of them—what’s the use of your knowing?”
“Why, the doctor said he would send me seven—perhaps these are not mine.”