Question

Describe the different types of remedies tried by Aunt Polly on Tom.

Answer 1

Title: The cat and the pain – killer
Author: Samuel Langhome Clemens (1835-1910), popularly known as Mark Twain.
Characters: Aunt Polly and Tom
Theme: “Too much of anything is good for nothing”.

Aunt Polly was infatuated with patent medicine and all new methods of healing. She was an incurable experimenter in all these things. She began to try all manners of remedies on Tom. She gave a new water treatment. Tom’s low condition was a windfall to her. She took him out at daylight every morning and drowned him in cold water. Then she rubbed him hard down with a towel like a file.

She rolled him up in a wet sheet and put him away under blankets. Tom could not tolerate it. He became sad and pale and dejected. She added hot baths, six baths, shower baths – and plunges. The boy remained bored.

She assisted the water with a slim oatmeal diet and blister – plasters. She filled him up with quack cure-alls according to his capacity. Tom became upset and he thought over various plans of relief. Finally, he hit upon his fond pain killer. He asked for it very often. It became a nuisance to aunt Polly. She told him to help himself and quit bothering her.

‘Self-help is the best help’

Answer 2

Aunt Polly was infatuated with patent medicines and all-new healing methods. She was an incurable experimenter. She tried all manners of remedies on Tom. The water treatment was new. Tom’s low condition was a windfall to her. She kept him out at daylight, drowned him cold water, and then rubbed him hard with a file like a towel.

He was put under blankets. He became upset. She gave hot baths, sitz baths, shower baths, and plunges. He remained bored. She added to water with a slim oatmeal diet and blister – plasters. To his capacity, she filled him with quack cure-alls.

He became fed up. He thought over various plans of relief. He preferred pain killer. He asked for it. It was a nuisance to aunt Polly. But finally, she told him to help himself and quit bothering her. “Too much of anything is good for nothing”.