CHAPTER SIX: Curing a ‘Madman’

Andrew felt happy, hopeful. This feeling of excitement influenced his work: he wanted to do something to make Christine proud of him.

For the next few weeks, he had only very simple cases to attend to, such as cuts on the hand and colds in the head. He began to ask himself if a doctor in such a lonely place would ever have an opportunity to do work of real importance.

But then, at six o’clock one morning, he was woken by Annie who, with tears in her eyes, gave him a note from Dr Bramwell. Andrew quickly opened the envelope and read: ‘Come at once. I want you to help me with a dangerous madman.’

‘It’s my brother Emlyn, Doctor,’ said Annie, wiping her eyes. ‘He’s been ill for three weeks. During the night he suddenly became violent and attacked his wife with a knife. Come quickly, Doctor.’

Andrew dressed in three minutes, and went with Annie to Emlyn’s home. There he found Bramwell, seated at a table, writing.

‘Ah, Manson! Thank you for coming so quickly!’ he said.

‘What’s the matter?’

‘Emlyn has gone mad. We shall have to send him to the mental hospital at once. But, of course, they will not admit him unless a second doctor signs my report, saying that he is mad. That’s why I sent for you.’

‘What are your reasons for considering him mad?’ Andrew asked.

Bramwell read out his report.

‘It certainly sounds bad,’ Andrew agreed, when Bramwell had finished. ‘Well, I’ll examine him.’

Emlyn was in bed, and seated beside him – in case he should become violent again – were two of his friends from the mine. At the foot of the bed stood his wife, who was crying.

Andrew had a sudden feeling of coldness, almost of fear. He went over to Emlyn; and, at first, the man hardly recognized him. Andrew spoke to him. Emlyn gave a reply that did not make sense. Then, throwing up his hands, he shouted and threatened Andrew. A silence followed.

Emlyn showed all the signs of madness. But, for some reason, Andrew doubted whether he was really mad. He kept asking himself why Emlyn should behave like this. There might be some other medical reason. He touched the man’s swollen face, and noticed with surprise that his finger left no mark. At once he saw the cause of the trouble. He finished his examination to make certain that he was right, and then went back to Bramwell.

‘Listen, Bramwell,’ he said, trying to hide his excitement, ‘I don’t think that we should sign that report.’

‘What? But the man’s mad!’

‘That’s not my opinion,’ Andrew answered. ‘In my opinion, Emlyn is only suffering from a hormone problem.’

Bramwell was too surprised to speak.

‘Let us try to cure him, instead of sending him to the mental hospital,’ Andrew suggested.

Before Bramwell could argue, Andrew went out of the room.

A few minutes later, he returned with Emlyn’s wife and told her, with Bramwell listening, what they planned to do.

Two weeks after starting Andrew’s new treatment, Emlyn was well enough to leave his sickbed; and in two months he was back at work.

One evening he and his wife went to the surgery and told Andrew: ‘We owe everything to you. We would like you to be our regular doctor in future. Bramwell knows nothing: he’s a silly old fool!’

‘You can’t change doctors,’ Andrew answered. ‘That would not be fair to Bramwell.’

But Andrew felt pleased that they wished to change; and, as soon as they left, he went round to Christine to tell her of his success.