True stories of old Houston and Houstonians: historical and personal sketches / by S. O. Young. Page: 128
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128 TRUE STORIES OF OLD
was halfway out, but halted and asked Dr. Bryan to read it. "I
can't do that," answered the doctor. "Why not?" asked Dr.
Howard. "Because it is nothing but a fly," said Dr. Bryan. Dr.
Howard climbed back in his buggy and drove away in deep
silence.
Here, on another page of this old book, I find where Dr. W.
D. Robinson was suing some fellow. The chap must have been
a hard case to drive Dr. Robinson to do anything of that kind,
for a better hearted, more generous and charitable man never
lived than he. He was the "family physician" of Houston for
many, many years, and was the friend and confidant of more
people than any priest who ever lived here. He was a very
handsome man, warm hearted and generous, and was beloved
by everybody. His practice was very large and he did more
charity practice than any two or three doctors in the city. He
told me a funny story once that will bear repeating. He said
that when he first came to Houston he had had but little experience
as a doctor and was very modest and retiring. On one
occasion he attended a Mexican circus that was performing here.
One of the actors fell from a high bar and sustained serious
injuries. A call was made for a doctor. Robinson kept his
seat, hoping that some other doctor was present and would take
the case. None did so, and he finally got up and went forward.
He said the man was stunned, so he got out his pocket case
and prepared to bleed him right there. Just as he was'about
ready he heard a voice asking him what he was going to do. He
looked around and saw Dr. Ashbel Smith, whom someone had
sent for. A
"I am going to bleed him," said Dr. Robinson.
"Did anyone hear you say you were going to do that?" Dr.
Smith asked.
"Well, it is the wrong thing to do," whispered Dr. Smith; "but
if anyone heard you, go ahead and bleed him, if it kills him."
Dr. Robinson bled him and he did not die after all.
Now, as a fine accompaniment to the suits of these two doctors,
I find one filed by Mr. Pannel, the great undertaker, of
whom I have spoken before. The suit is evidently for money
due him for putting away some of the doctors' work, as he used
to say. Old man Pannel was a great character. On one occasion
the doctors got up a big hunt over on the San Jacinto.
They asked Pannel to go, but he would not consent until he
secured the promise of every doctor in the city to go. Every
one promised, but at the last moment Pannel showed up and
announced that he could not go, because Dr. Robinson had a
case and he knew his services would be needed before he could
get back. An investigation revealed the fact that Dr. Robinson
did have a case, so he and Pannel were left behind.
Now, I don't know that one word of all this will be interesting
to the readers of The Chronicle. All of it is interesting to me,
though, and I think some of it will interest some of the older
people who knew all the people I have mentioned. When Judge
a
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Young, Samuel Oliver. True stories of old Houston and Houstonians: historical and personal sketches / by S. O. Young., book, 1913; Galveston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth24646/m1/128/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.