CHAPTER X 



MEXICAN PRACTICE 



During the time that I was engaged in prac- 

 tice in El Paso probably twenty-five per cent of 

 my work was among the Mexican inhabitants of 

 El Paso and the Mexican town of Juarez across 

 the river from El Paso. 



While most of the live-stock owned by them 

 was an inferior grade of stuff they were not back- 

 ward about employing a doctor for them. 



I found the Mexicans very desirable clients. 

 They have great faith in medicine and will faith- 

 fully follow the doctor's instructions if they have 

 confidence in him. 



They pay especial attention to details smack- 

 ing of "hocus-pocus" methods; such items, for 

 instance, as giving a certain medicine seven times 

 a day, or just at a certain hour. Once a doctor 

 gets into their favor his success among the lot 

 of them is assured; they are lavish and free in 

 their praise of him. 



Only in one regard must they be kept in line, 

 and that is along money matters. Once they 

 understand that you expect your pay promptly 

 they will not ask for credit. My rule, except in 

 the case of the more well-to-do families, was to 

 work for cash only. I never hesitated to inform 

 them in advance what the fee would be. In the 

 three or four years that I practiced among them 

 I lost only a few dollars in bad accounts. 



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