An artificial kidney these days still means a refrigerator-sized dialysis machine. Such devices mimic the way real kidneys cleanse blood and eject impurities and surplus water as urine.

She destashed some needles that I ended up taking off her hands last summer.

‘Are you an alienist?’ I interrupted. ‘Every doctor should be - a little,’ answered that original, imperturbably.

I then walked to Cochrane's & got an order on Sir Charles Asgill for my money.