Chapter 1

           Therewerefourofus—George,andWilliamSamuelHarris,andmyself,andMontmorency. Weweresittinginmyroom,smoking,andtalkingabouthowbadwewere—badfromamedicalpointofviewImean,ofcourse. 

           Wewereallfeelingseedy,andweweregettingquitenervousaboutit. Harrissaidhefeltsuchextraordinaryfitsofgiddinesscomeoverhimattimes,thathehardlyknewwhathewasdoing; andthenGeorgesaidthathehadfitsofgiddinesstoo,andhardlyknewwhathewasdoing. Withme,itwasmyliverthatwasoutoforder. Iknewitwasmyliverthatwasoutoforder,becauseIhadjustbeenreadingapatentliver-pillcircular,inwhichweredetailedthevarioussymptomsbywhichamancouldtellwhenhisliverwasoutoforder. Ihadthemall. 

           Itisamostextraordinarything,butIneverreadapatentmedicineadvertisementwithoutbeingimpelledtotheconclusionthatIamsufferingfromtheparticulardiseasethereindealtwithinitsmostvirulentform. ThediagnosisseemsineverycasetocorrespondexactlywithallthesensationsthatIhaveeverfelt. 

           IremembergoingtotheBritishMuseumonedaytoreadupthetreatmentforsomeslightailmentofwhichIhadatouch—hayfever,Ifancyitwas. Igotdownthebook,andreadallIcametoread;andthen,inanunthinkingmoment,Iidlyturnedtheleaves,andbegantoindolentlystudydiseases,generally. IforgetwhichwasthefirstdistemperIplungedinto—somefearful,devastatingscourge,Iknow—and,beforeIhadglancedhalfdownthelistof"premonitorysymptoms,"itwasborneinuponmethatIhadfairlygotit.