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ill. All of them had similar symptoms: fever, extreme
weakness, aching back and limbs, running nose, sore
throat. Cherry recognized they had respiratory flu, in
its acute stage. These were routine symptoms of respi-
ratory flu.
A CURIOUS EMERGENCY 61
She did not understand, though, why Mrs. Nichols
reported that they all had diarrhea and cramps, and
the younger child had been vomiting. Those were not
respiratory flu symptoms. Those were symptoms of
some other type of virus. But what? These patients had
flu and something else which Cherry could not recog-
nize. The symptoms of the unknown illness the diar-
rhea, cramps, and vomiting had started yesterday.
Did you call a doctor, Mrs. Nichols? Cherry
asked.
No, we treated ourselves.
With what?
Oh, just home remedies, the woman said vaguely.
Cherry put her vagueness down to her weak, sick state.
She asked a few questions about the pot luck sup-
per on Sunday. Mrs. Nichols said the room had been
crowded and poorly ventilated.
I guess some people there had colds, the woman
said.
Someone there probably had a flu virus, Cherry said,
and you caught it. I m going to ask Dr. Miller to come to
treat the four of you. Don t try to get out of bed.
Cherry gave first aid. She quickly made the four
sick people as comfortable as she could, told the well
children to keep away from them, left there, and tele-
phoned for Dr. Miller. Then she drove to the next
emergency names on her list.
In some of these families she found flu symptoms.
In others she found even more acute flu symptoms
plus the unexplained diarrhea and vomiting. Cherry
62 CHERRY AMES, RURAL NURSE
was puzzled. In all the latter cases she noted that the
families had treated themselves with home remedies.
Exactly what home remedies? Nobody would tell the
nurse. They seemed to be evading or too sick to talk.
Among these persons was the forbidding Jacob
Hummer. His hand was healing the man was strong
and lucky! But Cherry urgently advised calling a doctor
to check his flu infection.
No! said Hummer. Nature will heal me.
Mr. Hummer, it s necessary! If you won t call a doc-
tor, you can t call me again, either. The rule is that the
county nurse can make two home visits to encourage
medical care. Only two calls, and no more if the family
refuses to call a doctor when the nurse tells them it s
necessary.
The Hummers gave in then, reluctant, but fright-
ened by the man s condition. Cherry telephoned in a
call for Dr. Miller, and arranged to meet him later that
afternoon.
They met and worked together at the Nichols and
the Hummers . Then they went to the crossroads
grocery store, for a conference over a carton of milk.
Cherry described her day s cases to Dr. Hal.
What s this about so many having diarrhea and
cramps? Dr. Hal asked. Those aren t flu symptoms.
I think those patients all dosed themseves with
some kind of home remedy, Cherry reported, instead
of getting medical help right away.
Dr. Hal frowned. Find out what the remedy is. I ll
inquire, too.
A CURIOUS EMERGENCY 63
Nobody was willing to tell Cherry what the remedy
was. And she could not find out the reason for this
silence. One farm woman said she had been advised
to keep mum, but swore she d heard it effected many
cures. Cherry noticed, in the next day or two, that those
flu patients who had taken the remedy were sicker
than ever. And not with flu! The ordinary flu cases were
getting well! Dr. Miller, aided by other county physi-
cians, was kept busy treating this emergency. He had
a hard time diagnosing the elusive ailment, and when
these patients began to recover, it was slowly. On an
off chance, he treated some patients for poisoning; it
helped.
What in the world have they taken? he said to
Cherry. We must find out.
Cherry finally learned something on Friday at the
Swaybill s farm. Marge and Clyde, the teenagers, had
attended the potluck supper, and while Clyde had a
mild runny nose and sore throat, Marge was acutely
sick. She was in bed in her own room. She complained
privately to Cherry of terrible cramps.
I think what did it, Marge said, was that new pat-
ent medicine Mother dosed me with. I wasn t hardly
sick until she gave me that stuff yesterday.
Cherry pricked up her ears. What new patent medi-
cine?
That herb remedy. Everybody for miles around has
been buying it, Marge said. Mother always thinks
this or that new remedy is going to make her stronger,
and cure everything.
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