108 NATHANIEL SOUTHGATE SHALER 



alone etherized the patient and with pen-knife and scissors did 

 an entirely successful operation. Although by thrift and sav- 

 ing he amassed a considerable fortune, becoming as usual in 

 such work somewhat close, he held obstinately to the low 

 charges for his services, which were half a century ago a dollar 

 for office advice, two dollars for a visit, and a like moderate 

 scale for obstetric and surgical work. Moreover, he was given 

 to the practice of refusing any compensation from people in 

 stress for money. The only approach to a quarrel, in the forty 

 years of our intimacy, was on an occasion when he asked me to 

 tell an impecunious colleague of mine that he had no bill to pay 

 for the long and devoted services rendered him in a grave ill- 

 ness. I refused to do this on the ground that such a communi- 

 cation should not pass through an intermediary, because even 

 that slight amount of publicity would offend the recipient of 

 the charity. After a time, finding that it was the curious family 

 shyness that ailed the kind doctor, and that the matter was 

 weighing on him, I bore his message, with the result that while 

 the sick man accepted the grace it broke up our friendship. 

 My first contact with Wyman was in the winter of 1858-59, 

 when there was much diphtheria about. Having a sore throat, 

 I sent for him. Knowing that he was a busy man, and as it was 

 in the night, I had ready a candle and a spoon which I handed 

 him as soon as he came in. He looked at the offending throat, 

 said it was not diphtheria, remarked that I had been well 

 brought up, and went his way with no further word. When I 

 sought him to pay for his services, he said that there was no 

 charge, as I was a physician's son. He had apparently inferred 

 this from the preparations I had made for his visit. It was only 

 when I explained that though I was under age, I was supported 

 by money which had come to me from generations beyond my 

 father, and that my use of it in no wise affected his welfare, that 

 he was willing to take his fee. The acquaintance thus begun 

 soon ripened into friendship, which was ever a support and in- 

 spiration to me. His advice given in many perplexities was 



