Literature: The Use of Force (William Carlos Williams)

They were new patients to me, all I had was the name, Olson.

When I arrived I was met by the mother, a big startled looking woman, very clean and apologetic who merely said, Is this the doctor? and let me in.

When I arrived I was met by the mother, a big startled looking woman, very clean and apologetic who merely said, Is this the doctor? and let me in.

You must excuse us, doctor, we have her in the kitchen where it is warm.

The child was fully dressed and sitting on her father's lap near the kitchen table.

He tried to get up, but I motioned for him not to bother, took off my overcoat and started to look things over.

He tried to get up, but I motioned for him not to bother, took off my overcoat and started to look things over.

I could see that they were all very nervous, eyeing me up and down distrustfully.

The child was fairly eating me up with her cold, steady eyes, and no expression to her face whatever.

She did not move and seemed, inwardly, quiet; an unusually attractive little thing, and as strong as a heifer in appearance.

She did not move and seemed, inwardly, quiet; an unusually attractive little thing, and as strong as a heifer in appearance.

She did not move and seemed, inwardly, quiet; an unusually attractive little thing, and as strong as a heifer in appearance.

But her face was flushed, she was breathing rapidly, and I realized that she had a high fever.

But her face was flushed, she was breathing rapidly, and I realized that she had a high fever.

She had magnificent blonde hair, in profusion.

She had magnificent blonde hair, in profusion.

One of those picture children often reproduced in advertising leaflets and the photogravure sections of the Sunday papers.

One of those picture children often reproduced in advertising leaflets and the photogravure sections of the Sunday papers.

As doctors often do I took a trial shot at it as a point of departure.

As it happens we had been having a number of cases of diphtheria in the school to which this child went during that month and we were all, quite apparently, thinking of that, though no one had as yet spoken of the thing.

I smiled in my best professional manner and asking for the child's first name I said, come on, Mathilda, open your mouth and let's take a look at your throat.

Aw, come on, I coaxed, just open your mouth wide and let me take a look.

At that I ground my teeth in disgust.

But I did not allow myself to be hurried or disturbed but speaking quietly and slowly I approached the child again.

But I did not allow myself to be hurried or disturbed but speaking quietly and slowly I approached the child again.

But I did not allow myself to be hurried or disturbed but speaking quietly and slowly I approached the child again.

As I moved my chair a little nearer suddenly with one catlike movement both her hands clawed instinctively for my eyes and she almost reached them too.

As I moved my chair a little nearer suddenly with one catlike movement both her hands clawed instinctively for my eyes and she almost reached them too.

Both the mother and father almost turned themselves inside out in embarrassment and apology.

Both the mother and father almost turned themselves inside out in embarrassment and apology.

Then the battle began.

I had to have a throat culture for her own protection.

I had to have a throat culture for her own protection.

I explained the danger but said that I would not insist on a throat examination so long as they would take the responsibility.

I explained the danger but said that I would not insist on a throat examination so long as they would take the responsibility.

I explained the danger but said that I would not insist on a throat examination so long as they would take the responsibility.

I explained the danger but said that I would not insist on a throat examination so long as they would take the responsibility.

If you don't do what the doctor says you'll have to go to the hospital, the mother admonished her severely.

After all, I had already fallen in love with the savage brat, the parents were contemptible to me.

After all, I had already fallen in love with the savage brat, the parents were contemptible to me.

In the ensuing struggle they grew more and more abject, crushed, exhausted while she surely rose to magnificent heights of insane fury of effort bred of her terror of me.

In the ensuing struggle they grew more and more abject, crushed, exhausted while she surely rose to magnificent heights of insane fury of effort bred of her terror of me.

In the ensuing struggle they grew more and more abject, crushed, exhausted while she surely rose to magnificent heights of insane fury of effort bred of her terror of me.

In the ensuing struggle they grew more and more abject, crushed, exhausted while she surely rose to magnificent heights of insane fury of effort bred of her terror of me.

In the ensuing struggle they grew more and more abject, crushed, exhausted while she surely rose to magnificent heights of insane fury of effort bred of her terror of me.

In the ensuing struggle they grew more and more abject, crushed, exhausted while she surely rose to magnificent heights of insane fury of effort bred of her terror of me.

In the ensuing struggle they grew more and more abject, crushed, exhausted while she surely rose to magnificent heights of insane fury of effort bred of her terror of me.

In the ensuing struggle they grew more and more abject, crushed, exhausted while she surely rose to magnificent heights of insane fury of effort bred of her terror of me.

The father tried his best, and he was a big man but the fact that she was his daughter, his shame at her behavior and his dread of hurting her made him release her just at the critical times when I had almost achieved success, till I wanted to kill him.

The father tried his best, and he was a big man but the fact that she was his daughter, his shame at her behavior and his dread of hurting her made him release her just at the critical times when I had almost achieved success, till I wanted to kill him.

The father tried his best, and he was a big man but the fact that she was his daughter, his shame at her behavior and his dread of hurting her made him release her just at the critical times when I had almost achieved success, till I wanted to kill him.

The father tried his best, and he was a big man but the fact that she was his daughter, his shame at her behavior and his dread of hurting her made him release her just at the critical times when I had almost achieved success, till I wanted to kill him.

The father tried his best, and he was a big man but the fact that she was his daughter, his shame at her behavior and his dread of hurting her made him release her just at the critical times when I had almost achieved success, till I wanted to kill him.

But his dread also that she might have diphtheria made him tell me to go on, go on though he himself was almost fainting, while the mother moved back and forth behind us raising and lowering her hands in an agony of apprehension.

But his dread also that she might have diphtheria made him tell me to go on, go on though he himself was almost fainting, while the mother moved back and forth behind us raising and lowering her hands in an agony of apprehension.

But his dread also that she might have diphtheria made him tell me to go on, go on though he himself was almost fainting, while the mother moved back and forth behind us raising and lowering her hands in an agony of apprehension.

Then she shrieked terrifyingly, hysterically.

Then I grasped the child's head with my left hand and tried to get the wooden tongue depressor between her teeth.

She fought, with clenched teeth, desperately!

But now I also had grown furious--at a child.

I know how to expose a throat for inspection.

I know how to expose a throat for inspection.

When finally I got the wooden spatula behind the last teeth and just the point of it into the mouth cavity, she opened up for an instant but before I could see anything she came down again and gripping the wooden blade between her molars she reduced it to splinters before I could get it out again.

When finally I got the wooden spatula behind the last teeth and just the point of it into the mouth cavity, she opened up for an instant but before I could see anything she came down again and gripping the wooden blade between her molars she reduced it to splinters before I could get it out again.

When finally I got the wooden spatula behind the last teeth and just the point of it into the mouth cavity, she opened up for an instant but before I could see anything she came down again and gripping the wooden blade between her molars she reduced it to splinters before I could get it out again.

Get me a smooth-handled spoon of some sort, I told the mother.

Get me a smooth-handled spoon of some sort, I told the mother.

Her tongue was cut and she was screaming in wild hysterical shrieks.

Perhaps I should have desisted and come back in an hour or more.

No doubt it would have been better.

But I have seen at least two children lying dead in bed of neglect in such cases, and feeling that I must get a diagnosis now or never I went at it again.

But I have seen at least two children lying dead in bed of neglect in such cases, and feeling that I must get a diagnosis now or never I went at it again.

I could have torn the child apart in my own fury and enjoyed it.

The damned little brat must be protected against her own idiocy, one says to one's self at such times.

It is a social necessity.

It is a social necessity.

But a blind fury, a feeling of adult shame, bred of a longing for muscular release are the operatives.

But a blind fury, a feeling of adult shame, bred of a longing for muscular release are the operatives.

But a blind fury, a feeling of adult shame, bred of a longing for muscular release are the operatives.

In a final unreasoning assault I overpowered the child's neck and jaws.

In a final unreasoning assault I overpowered the child's neck and jaws.

And there it was--both tonsils covered with membrane.

She had been hiding that sore throat for three days at least and lying to her parents in order to escape just such an outcome as this.

She had been hiding that sore throat for three days at least and lying to her parents in order to escape just such an outcome as this.

Tried to get off her father's lap and fly at me while tears of defeat blinded her eyes.