MODERN TRIAL BY ORDEAL.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3908, 29 January 1884, Page 4

MODERN TRIAL BY ORDEAL.

(Chamber's Journal. A gentleman who some years ago acted as surgeon to several friendly societies in tho county of-Durham relates the following anecdote of what occurred between himself and ono of his rustic constituents. A member of an Oddfellow's lodge came ono evening for advice at tho usual hour of consultation. Tho symtoms were duly detailed and tho surgeon prescribed a mixture which containod t.vo grains of tartrate of antimony in .eight ounces of water. The patient ou arriving homo took a doso of his medicine, but was annoyed to find that it had so little taste, aud that moreover it presented no solid material to bo shaken up. On submitting tho bottle to his wife, she also, on testing, pronounced it to be " nowt but wetter." Ho then took counsel with somo of his brethren, who were not very favorably disposed towards the doctor, and yielding to thoir advice entered a complaint to tho lodgo. In due time the doctor received from tho secretary a notice to attond and answer Brother Jones' chargo to tho effect that ho had been supplied with water instead of medicine. In reply to this notice tho surgeon asked the secretary to intimate to the aggrieved brother that it would bo necessary to have iho medicine produced, in order that lie might havo a fair chance of rebutting the charge. When the night arrived there was a goodly attendance of member.., and the Jodgo having been formally opened, Jones was asked to stand forth and prefer his chargo against the doctor, which he did, alleging that tho bottle produced was given to him for medicine, and contained nothing but water. After he had finished his statement, tho surgeon proclaimed to tho meetin «• that if Jon OS was sincero in his belief that thero was nothing but water in tho bottle, ho could have no objection to drinking the contents at ono draught. The chairman and brethren thought this a reasonable proposition, und put it to Jones accordingly.' Jones was evidently not quite prepared for this crucial test of his belief, but could boo no way out of it. After a littlo hesitating ho consented. Tho coatfeßte of tfa eight-ounce mtfw? wero

transferred to a tumbler, and he quaffed them off. The doctor then intimated _to the chairman that he might proceed with any other business, until the medicine had time to take effect. After a lapse of about half an hour Jones began to exhibit signs of internal disturbance, and a basin was brought for his convenience. It soon became manifest to the brethren that there must have been something more than water in the mixture. The doctor submitted that he had effectually upset both Jones and his allegation, ancl quitted the lodge in triumph.