NATURE versus MEDICINE 



steamer that plied between Boston and 

 Gloucester. I thought it would be an easy 

 matter to secure board on one of the many 

 vessels that made short trips after mackerel. 

 For three days I haunted the wharves in vain. 

 The " skippers," one and all, gave the same 

 reason for refusing my offers. " We are go- 

 ing after fish," said they, " and cannot be 

 bothered with a sick man." At last one 

 " skipper " discouraged me completely. He 

 said to me : "I once took a sick man on 

 board, and because we did not strike fish, the 

 fishermen called the passenger a Jonah, and 

 made his life miserable. Three days after 

 we returned he died, and I swore then that 

 I never would take another sick man to sea." 

 This " skipper's " story, and my fruitless 

 efforts caused me to abandon the salt water 

 cure. I turned now to the hills around 

 Gloucester. In the end I selected Bond's Hill, 

 because it was surrounded by pine groves. 



I found the hill covered with blueberry 

 and huckleberry bushes, the latter loaded with 

 fruit. On the brow of the hill the soil had 

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