The Project Gutenberg EBook of An Ounce of Cure, by Alan Edward Nourse

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Title: An Ounce of Cure

Author: Alan Edward Nourse

Release Date: October 3, 2007 [EBook #22866]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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An Ounce of Cure

The doctor's office was shiny and modern. Behind the desk the doctor
smiled down at James Wheatley through thick glasses. "Now, then! What
seems to be the trouble?"

Wheatley had been palpitating for five days straight at the prospect of
coming here. "I know it's silly," he said. "But I've been having a pain
in my toe."

"Indeed!" said the doctor. "Well, now! How long have you had this pain,
my man?"

"About six months now, I'd say. Just now and then, you know. It's never
really been bad. Until last week. You see--"

"I see," said the doctor. "Getting worse all the time, you say."

Wheatley wiggled the painful toe reflectively. "Well--you might say
that. You see, when I first--"

"How old did you say you were, Mr. Wheatley?"

"Fifty-five."

"Fifty-_five_!" The doctor leafed through the medical record on his
desk. "But this is incredible. You haven't had a checkup in almost ten
years!"

"I guess I haven't," said Wheatley, apologetically. "I'd been feeling
pretty well until--"

"_Feeling_ well!" The doctor stared in horror. "But my dear fellow, no
checkup since January 1963! We aren't in the Middle Ages, you know. This
is 1972."

"Well, of course--"

"Of course you may be _feeling_ well enough, but that doesn't mean
everything is just the way it should be. And now, you see, you're having
pains in your toes!"

"One toe," said Wheatley. "The little one on the right. It seemed to
me--"

"One toe _today_, perhaps," said the doctor heavily. "But _tomorrow_--"
He heaved a sigh. "How about your breathing lately? Been growing short
of breath when you hurry upstairs?"

"Well--I _have_ been bothered a little."

"I thought so! Heart pound when you run for the subway? Feel tired all
day? Pains in your calves when you walk f