Sir John Bland-Sutton, close friend of Rudyard Kipling snd a great surgeon, was also a great character, fas those who met him not so long a¢0 on his visit to China will agree. His career was carved by his own effort fand his own genius, Spare of stature and of indifferent physique—but with marvellous hands—Sir John often mocked at the exponents of eugenics by observing that he was the youngest of nine and a "miserable. specimen" who would: have been put out Of the way, if the extreme eugenic theory had been embodied in the law, His fame. at the Middlesex Hospital brought members of his. profession from all over the world to see hi operate there. His humble origi was betrayed by a marked cockney accent. which he never lost—he probably never attempted to perform that feat, for he was the essence of frankness and had a horror of humbug—and it is said to have bein responsible for the long delay which occurred before the Hospital authori tes could bring themselves to appoint him to the consulting staff, Indeed so dilatory were they that they nearly Tost the surgeon whos: fame had brought the institution much rellectea. glory. Fortunately for them tne danger was forcibly brought to their notice by one who was not afraid vw: mince his words. The appointment Was duly made and so magnanimous was Bland-Sutton that he never: allowed his undoubted knowledge of the preposterous hesitation to" colour hhis atutude toward the Hospital or to diminish his devotion tw its interes: s. Sir John was a keen student of tne aris and Hiterature and his house was always open to those who ministered to that interest. Between him ana Kipling there was the warmest bond of friendship Which rellect: d credit fon both men, It was' Bland-Sution to whom Kipting confided a feeling fof indisposition on the occasion of What tured of to be the poet's serious illness some years before his eventual death. Although it was late fat night Bland-Sutton, recognizing that the case was an urgent one for physician and not a surgeon, pulled Lord Dawson of Penn out of bed and insisted on his making the long. journey to attend his friend. The result was satisfactory but the condition of the patient on Lord Dawson's arrival thoroughly vindicated Bland-Sutton's importunity,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.