Discussion Post: The Resident Patient

[spacemutineer.livejournal.com]

Hi, everyone! Was it a good week? It should be a good end either way as we dig into The Resident Patient! How did you find it? As always, here are some of my thoughts and questions. Feel free to add your own!

- The opening sequence of this story can be different, depending on the edition you read. From Wikipedia: Most American editions of the Sherlock Holmes stories contain a bastardized edition of the text in which the first few pages of this episode and "The Adventure of the Cardboard Box" are almost identical; both contain the same, rather impressive example of Holmes's deductive powers. The reason for this stems from the original American publication of The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes in which the story of "The Cardboard Box" was eliminated; but its opening scene was retained and transferred to "The Resident Patient". Even today, this change continues to be propagated and editions of the stories which contain the original, correct text of "Resident Patient" are comparatively few.

- "Are you not the author of a monograph upon obscure nervous lesions?" Watson has time on his hands to read during his recovery, certainly. But an monograph on admittedly obscure issues seems a bit odd, especially when noticing that "nervous" disorders were generally euphemisms for mental health problems. Do you think he had a reason to be reading up on these subjects? Is it for professional curiosity or is he looking for more personal reasons -- for himself or his newfound friend, perhaps?

- I want to hear the story behind Holmes faking catalepsy. Sounds like a good one.

- Holmes is positive that it is mere coincidence that Blessington's accomplices come in the day when Blessington himself is out on his constitutional. But isn't it more likely they were there running reconaissance? Killing a man is best done quietly in the dark of night, and that's precisely what they end up doing quite successfully. They escape the law's justice, even if they don't escape nature's in the end.

- Speaking of that ending, it's another case where murderers escaping Holmes' grasp ultimately pay for their crimes at the hands of the sea, as also seen in the ending of The Five Orange Pips. Does this seem likely to you? Is it coincidence or Watson's creative license? Maybe Lord Poseidon reads the papers.

The Resident Patient: Involving

[spacemutineer.livejournal.com]

Canon Story: The Resident Patient
Title: Involving
Author: spacemutineer
Rating: G

I bided the day in chemistry more involving than Watson's yellow-backed fiction. He turned pages across my ocean of glass, his image bent and stretched in the curvature of beakers and bottles. Evening fell, the wind died down along with his pains, and I stole his attention back at last.

"What do you say to a ramble through London?"

The Resident Patient: The Proper Pronoun

[hardboiledbaby]

Canon Story: The Resident Patient
Title: The Proper Pronoun
Author: hardboiledbaby
Rating: G
Warnings: none
Author's Notes: Funny how one word can catch your eye.

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"Come to consult us, I fancy!"

Our yet-unknown visitor had undoubtedly come to consult my friend, not me. Holmes knew this, naturally. His choice of the word "us" was deliberate, and one he used often. I smiled, warmed through.

I followed Holmes' eager footsteps up the stairs, determined to lend what assistance I could. We had a case to solve.

The Resident Patient: Holmes' Discourse As We Walked Down The Strand

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

Canon Story: The Resident Patient
Title: Holmes' Discourse As We Walked Down the Strand
Author: thesmallhobbit
Rating: G

“For instance, take the man we’ve just walked past, the one arguing with his wife.  He’s just seen his mistress and has told her they can meet tomorrow at five.  She’s the lady in the lilac dress and matching hat.  Watson, don’t stare!  No, of course it’s not her husband she’s with.  That’s her brother.  Isn’t it obvious to you?”

The Resident Patient: A Telling Difference

[shadowycat.livejournal.com]

Canon Story: The Adventure of the Resident Patient
Title: A Telling Difference
Author: shadowycat
Rating: G

As I listened to Dr Trevelyan, I was struck by the thought that in a way Watson was my resident patient. Did I not contrive to care for his wounds of body and spirit by providing distraction, amusement, a modicum of excitement, and, when needed, ample rest? There was one telling difference, however. Nothing whatsoever was weak about Watson’s heart.

The Resident Patient: Catalepsy

[hisietari.livejournal.com]

Canon Story: The Resident Patient
Title: Catalepsy
Author: hisietari
Rating: G

Catalepsy, catalepsy. A most interesting field of studies indeed. What causes it, and why would the human body react in such a peculiar way?

More though, what happens to the mind in this state? Where does it go? What does it really see? And will we, one day, in the far future, be able to follow it to those realms?

The Resident Patient: Speculation

[methylviolet10b]

Author: methylviolet10b
Rating: PG
Character(s): Sherlock Holmes, Doctor John Watson
Summary: Holmes isn't above borrowing good ideas where he finds them.
Warnings: Mild spoilers for RESI.
Word Count: 60
Author's Notes: 60 words of my own inspired by one of the canon stories. This week, an additional 100-word extended play version available on my personal journal, too, because we're venturing into an area of my own personal head-canon. ;-) I've often wondered how Watson can drift in and out of medical practice the way he does. This is part of my reasoning how he always seems to be able to pick up work when he wants it...
Disclaimer: I don't own them.

 

RESI -- The Resident Patient

“Sutton was clever. One of his ideas might prove useful.”

“Whatever do you mean?”

“Your health is improving, my dear Watson, if not yet up to a full practice – and I know you are a gambling man. What say you to the idea of speculating on a fellow medico or two of our own – under less usurious terms, of course?”

Click here for the extended-play version...

37, 38 & 39: The Red-Headed League, The Reigate Squires & The Resident Patient

[flawedamythyst.livejournal.com]

I will get back in the habit of doing these every week, instead of in batches, I swear.

Canon Story: The Red-Headed League
Title: The Role Of A Friend
Rating: G

That Watson's visit to Baker Street was to avoid matrimonial strife was obvious both from the bitterness with which he said, “My practice is never very absorbing,” and his reluctance to return home after the concert. Accordingly, once the case was wrapped up, I took him home, plied him with brandy, and gave him the opportunity to unburden himself.


Canon Story: The Reigate Squires
Title: A Bachelor Establishment
Rating: PG
A/N: Holmes/Watson.

“Watson, I have no wish to go to the country to be fussed over by female servants and restrained by social mores from being close to you.”

“You misunderstand, Holmes. The Colonel runs an extremely discreet bachelor household. There will be no problem if we choose to spend whole days in bed together.”

“When is the train?”


Canon Story: The Resident Patient
Title: Trouble
Rating: PG
A/N: Holmes/Watson.

I first realised the trouble Watson was going to cause me not when the flick of his tongue as he turned a page with a licked finger caused me to drop a test tube and lose a whole day's work, but when three hours walking with him passed like ten minutes and was well worth the loss of my research.


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