Plaguing the Doctors.

Cromwell Argus, Volume IV, Issue 197, 19 August 1873, Page 7

Plaguing the Doctors.

Mr Cooke, the miser of Pentonville, as he was called, was a great annoyance to gentlemen of the faculty. :• He used to put on fagged clothes, and go as a pauper to. Mr Saunders and other gentlemen to have gratuitous advice for his eyes ; get a letter for the dispensary, ami attend there as a decayed tradesman, for several weeks until detected. Having a wound in his leg, he employed a Mr Pigeon, who had lived nearly opposite to him in White Lion-street, Pentonville, to cure it. "How long do you think it will he before you can cure me 1 ?" "A month." "And how much must I give yon?" Mr Pigeon, who-saw the wound was not of any great importance, answered, "a guinea." "Very well," replied Cooke.; "hut mark this, a guinea is an immense sum of money, and when I agree upon sums of such magnitude I go upon the system or ' no-Cure no pay,' so,, if I am not cured by the expiration of a month, I pay yon. nothing." This' was agreed to. After diligent attention-the wound was so near being healed, that Cooke expressed , ; himself satisfied, and would not let Pigeon-see it any more. However, within two. or three days of the month being completed the old fellow got some sort of..plaster with cuphorbiu.m on it from a farrier, and made a new wound on the place where the former had been-; and,sending for' Pigeon the last day of the month, showed him that his leg was not , well, and that of course the guinea he had agreed: for was. forfeited. This story the old fellow used to tell of himself with great 1 satisfaction, and cull it" Plucking'a Pigeon.' When on his deathbed he sent for several medical men ; some of them would not at tend ; but amotjg others who went to see him was Mr. Aid ridge, of Pentonville, At one of the interviews he earnestly entreated Mr Aldri.dge to tell him candidly how long he thought he might live. The answer was he might probably live six days. Cooke, collecting all his strength,' and starting up in bed, exclaimed, " Are you not a dishonest man, a rogue, and a robber, to serve me sol' " How sol" asked Mr A Idriilge, with surprise " Why, sir, you are no better than a pickpocket to go to rob me of my gold hv sending in two draughts a day to a man that all your 1 physic will not keep alive six days! Getout of my house, and nevcreomo near me again."