IN POSSESSION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2106, 5 July 1894, Page 41

IN POSSESSION.

By B. B.

Let me see 1 Ah, ye3 l a month has slipped away since that predatory horde of influenza microbes tool possession of my bodily structure. Now, thank goodnes3, they have gone, and the nooks and crannies of my body know them co more. Whether they have lied or whether my red corpuscles — aided by the quinine I swallowed — captured and ate them is a problem I am unable to solve. However, while they were in possession they played me some scurvy tricks.

, It was on a Saturday night that I became aware of the fact that my outworks had been captured. I was coascious of a peculiar sensation. I felt as though I had been brushed the wrong way with a dry scrubbing brush. The nezc development was a headachy feeling, which culminated ia a tendency to sneeze. These symptoms showed plainly that saturnine influences were at work. Wnen I opened my eyes on Sunday morning I became painfully aware that the next phase had taken the form of a bad neuralgic .headache and a decided cold in the head. " The controller of my commissary department then took ma in hand, and dosed me with certain remedies, Baid to be infallible specifics. Monday came, and instead of feeling better I felt rather worse. I had a rheumatic feeling in my hip joint, and my sense of taste was decidedly out of order. This last was perhaps the unkindest trick the microbes played upon me.

On this particular Monday I took coffee for breakfast. As I drank it I thought surely the coffee is not as good as usual. During the day I asked for a cap of tea. Same was quickly made for m?, I swallowed a mouthful, and the next moment was nearly sick. Of all the unp'easant flavours 1 knew of, that tea was the worst of any. My disordered palate had immediately detected and magnified the rank twang incidental to the Stronger teas from Ceylon. Bih 1 what a horrid taste. It contained a something suggestive of the rankness of nicotine blended with fusel oil. I was fain to soliloquise after this fashion : O, Balbus ! friend of my school days, —you who officiate so nimbly behind the bank counter — what has become of the fine-flavoured tea that waa grown when we were boys ? — the good black tea at 3s 6d a pound which we used to call for at the Oantsn tea warehouse on our way home from school. I wonder, friend Balbus, if you remember the portly Mr Jones, who dispensed the tea with such an air, and the occasional sticks of lolly we used to get. I am afraid, Balbus, you would not ba likely to admit the sticks of lolly now. Ah Ino doubt the tea was good in those days. Perhaps the cream my dear mother provided from her dairy had something to do with the goodness of old-time tea. But I must return to my microbes.

During the affcernooon I sent for some bananas. I tried to eat x>ne, but could not manage to do so. It tasted a 9 though it were composed of rawpotatoes mixed with soap. At dinner time I tried to take a meal, but did not succeed. Everything tasted thoroughly insipid. This will never do, I mentally ejaculated. Surely there are some articles of diet that are palatable. What shall I try ? Happy thought I I'll have some porridge It was made and served. To my astonishment and delight it was remarkably good. Never before had I tasted porridge like it. It seemed to have a strong, fragrant, oaty flavour, which made it most acceptable.

Daring the day I experimented with various other foods, and before bedtime I had diecovered that the microbes which had captured my senses of taste and smell had no objection to the following list :— Porridge, boiled milk, beef tea, and black-currant jam. With such a bill of fare available I knew I need not get very emaciated. I retired to bed that night with a painful head certainly, but in somewhat better spirits. Tuesday came round, and I began to feel a little better In my body, but my head was still bad. Dorine: the day I attempted to write a letter. My head, however, was in too chaotic a condition, and I was forced to relinquish the task. During the evening a friend came in to see me. After exchanging greetings he said : " Look here, old fellow, when I had the influenza I got a bottle of the best colonial wine, put a shilling's worth of quinine in'oit and took a small wine glass full three times a day. It did me a lot of good. If I were you I'd try the same remedy." — "All right," I said, " I'll try your prescription. Of oourse I cannot tell how it will act in my case. It is jußt possible my miorobes may be too many for the remedy. If they are, of oourse they will set to work to make It . more nauseous. Pray don't think that I am truckling to the miorobep, That is not my policy. You know thit in international matters it is the correct thing to keep up an armed neutrality. Now, lam taking up a position of armed neutrality in my dealings with the microbes. In addition to this, I am endeavouring to carry out the advice given by a distiEguished authority, It ia to take things quietly and easily while the influenza microbes are in possession." When my friend said good-night, he looked at me in a peculiar way, as if he thought the influenza microbes had nade me light-beaded.

On Wednesday morning I was agreeably conscious of the fact that theneuralgic pains in my head were abating. After breakfast I sent for the wice and qaitioe, and commenced taking it. It provtd a good remedy. I fancy the microbes were preparing to retreat before I took the first doze. Be this as it may, the quinine certainly helped to dislodge , them from their strongholds. On Thursday I was certainly much better. On Friday I noticed that my sense of taste was veeriug bsck to the normal. During Saturday the tendency to improve was still maintained. On Sunday the sun shone out brightly, for the first time for three or four days. 1 went out for an hour during the morning, and basked in the bright rays. When I returned I was conscious of a feeling of elation which was caost delightful. Oa Monday I was well enough to take up my work again. I must not forget to mention that the late Contingent of influenza microbes bava left

me a strange reminder of the time when they were in possession. It is an unconquerable aversion to the pungent, rank taste of Ceylon tea.