A patient's diary: episode 14 — Dr Teacher's dream

Abstract

> Evening surgery is over. In his consulting room, Dr Teacher relaxes for a few minutes with a favourite Jane Austen novel. But his eyelids are heavy. He sleeps. He dreams … Sally Greengage, good-looking, clever and ambitious, with a comfortable flat in a fashionable part of town and a happy disposition seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence; and had lived nearly 28 years in the world with very little to distress or vex her. Wishing to qualify herself in the medical profession, she had recently engaged herself as apprentice to Mr Gerald Teacher, a reputable local apothecary. She soon proved herself an apt pupil, rapidly acquiring a skillful consultation manner and a good knowledge of medicinal herbs; much admired and respected by her many grateful patients, she seemed to have a brilliant professional future ahead of her. If she had any fault at all it was perhaps the power of having rather too much her own way and a disposition to think too well of herself. She would sometimes alight on an interesting diagnosis without sufficient resort to the evidence base, or indeed the counsel of her master. She would also delight in giving injudicious advice to the apothecary's female servants concerning their personal lives and matrimonial aspirations. However, these disadvantages of her character, if they can be so described, were at present unperceived by Sally and so did not by any means rank as misfortunes with her. Now there lived in the pleasant little village of Glanders Magna in the County of Surry, a very civil and respectable gentleman of middle years called Norman Gland. He and his wife, Hilda, had a very pleasant house enclosed before and …