“She told me she took this bottle full,” and he held up a two ounce bottle.
“I think she's lying,” thought the doctor as he laid his fingers upon her pulse. Then he raised the lids and looked carefully at the pupils of the eyes. “Not much contraction here,” he thought. Turning to the husband who stood pale and trembling beside him, he said,
“Don't be alarmed—she's in no more danger than you are.” He watched the patient's face as he spoke and saw what he expected—a faint facial movement.
“To be on the safe side we'll treat the case as if she had taken two ounces.” He gave her a hypodermic emetic then called for warm water.
“How much?” asked the husband.
A big fat woman came panting through the doorway. “I got here as quick as I could,” she gasped.
“We don't need you at all,” said the doctor quietly. “Better go back home to your children, Mrs. Johnson.”
Mrs. Johnson, not liking to be cheated out of a sensation which she dearly loved, stood still. Mr. Lansing came back with the warm water. A faint slit appeared under the eyelids of the patient. The doctor took the big cup and said abruptly, “Here! drink this!”
No response. “Mrs. Lansing!” he said so sharply that her eyes opened. “Drink this water.”