There was at that time a
little dark, moldy man of medicine, famous among the old wives of
the Manhattoes for his skill, not only in the healing art, but in
all matters of strange and mysterious nature. His name was Dr.
Knipperhausen, but he was more commonly known by the appellation of
the "High German Doctor."[1] To him did the poor women repair for
counsel and assistance touching the mental vagaries of Wolfert
Webber.
[1] The same, no doubt, of whom mention is made in the history of
Dolph Heyliger.
They found the doctor seated in his little study, clad in his dark
camlet[1] robe of knowledge, with his black velvet cap, after the
manner of Boerhaave,[2] Van Helmont,[3] and other medical sages, a
pair of green spectacles set in black horn upon his clubbed nose,
and poring over a German folio that reflected back the darkness of
his physiognomy. The doctor listened to their statement of the
symptoms of Wolfert's malady with profound attention, but when they
came to mention his raving about buried money the little man
pricked up his ears. Alas, poor women! they little knew the aid
they had called in.
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