Maryland School of Medicine

Dr Julian Chisolm was sat at his desk when a servant of the school brought Doc Adams's telegraph; he read it through remembering how fondly Doc had spoken of his friend Matt Dillon. He knew enough to know that a blind marshal would have no chance against his enemies no matter how temporary the blindness might be. He started to write a reply to the telegraph, telling Doc he'd be there on the following Monday, he was intending to go up to the Gunpowder River to fish that week but the fact that the marshal had had the same thing happen due to an injury, he wondered if a slight injury could have caused a relapse or could it be something more serious he decided to take his friend James Arthurs who was at this moment studying diseases of the brain with him he handed the reply to the servant. "Send this to Doctor Adams in Dodge City," the servant left, Doctor Chisolm rose and went to see Doctor Arthurs.

"James, I have to go to Dodge City an emergency," he explained about the situation with Matt Dillon. "It could be the previous injury recurring but then …"

"You're thinking it could be something else," Doctor Chisolm nodded, "it's a pity about the fishing trip."

"We could still go fishing if you come with me; Galen said the fishing's pretty good down there, plus I'd like to have your opinion," Doctor Arthurs nodded.

"I must admit, Julian, the case does sound intriguing, we'll tell the Dean, go by train tomorrow."

The next morning they were at the Baltimore station to get the train south to Dodge City via St Louis, they had their valises and a case of medical books on brain diseases and eye diseases. They read through the paragraphs that dealt with diseases that could cause blurred vision. "We can certainly discount migraine as being the cause Galen would know the cures for that," Dr Arthurs said, Dr Chisolm nodded.

Monday morning and Doc was waiting at the station as the seven fifteen train from St Louis pulled in, he watched as Dr Chisolm and Dr Arthurs alighted from the train. "Julian, James, I'll get you settled at the Dodge House," Howard Uzzell gave them the keys to rooms twelve and eleven and had them sign in they dropped their bags off. All Howard knew was that they were friends of Doc and that they were to visit to do some fishing although he had a suspicion that there was more to it than that when they left with Doc carrying their medical bags. Doc led them to Ma Smalley's; she made coffee for them and Matt. "Matt, the specialists I sent for are here, Doctor Chisolm and Doctor Arthurs."

"Good, thanks for coming; I reckon you can guess how much I want to be able to see again."

"Of course, Marshal, just stay looking ahead and tell me what you can see if anything."

"Not a whole lot, it's like a thick fog covering my eyes, I can see a faint light nothing more than that."

"Galen told us that you had suffered something like this before," Doctor Arthurs said; Matt nodded and explained all the circumstances that had caused him to be temporarily blinded. "Did you take a similar knock to your head recently?"

"A prisoner I escorted to Kansas City I had to tame him a little but it was only fists."

"No loss of consciousness?" Matt shook his head wincing slightly at the pain of the headache he still felt started pounding again. Doctor Arthurs mixed the headache powders and handed the glass to him, Matt drank it down. "We've got some medical books at the Dodge House; we'll come back this afternoon. Meanwhile you get plenty of rest," Matt muttered something about his having rested enough.

"Matt, I'll get Kitty to come sit with you," Doc said, Matt grinned and nodded. Doctor Chisolm and Doctor Arthurs left with Doc, they returned to the Dodge House.

"Galen, I think we now know what's wrong. Has Matt ever suffered from migraine headaches?" Doctor Chisolm asked.

"When he's had the ague, he's had headaches severe enough to be migraines, but they've never affected his vision. I discounted migraines for that very reason."

"A professor in Britain recently linked severe migraines with loss of vision; it's rare so if we get him past the headache he may not have a recurrence of the loss of vision."

"It's the loss of vision that was worrying me," Doc said, "I wish there was a stronger medication I could use."

"This is aspirin, acetylsalicylic acid; it's a new way of taking the extract of powdered willow bark," Doctor Chisolm produced a small bottle of small white tablets. "It works best when taken every four hours two tablets each time; unfortunately, I've no way of knowing how soon his sight will return," Doctor Chisolm went on to describe some of the other ailments that aspirin could be used for.