The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1828-06-11
NATURE Her owN SURGEON.

Speaking OF the nature and cure of Simglc
and compound fractures, DR.. Hunter observed,
in his lectures, that,iin treating the compound.
many surgeons did mischief and irritated the
wound by their officious and artificial manner
oi dressing 1t. Instead Of that practice, he com
menced treating the Compound as much as
possible, IN the saline way as tie simple fac-
ture and IN confirmation of that practice, used
to relate the following singular case, which was
always heard with great attention, because the
instruction was conveyed in the way of pleas
antry.
I" maniac patient, Mr.. c.. who was
confined in the Infirmary at Edinburgh (he
says it was about thirty years ago) seeming to
have recovered calm and rational state of
mind, was allowed TO take an airing in the rar-
den by himself. Here he took the resolution
OF making his escape, and got over the garden
wall. In dropping himself from the wall, which
was very high, he pulled large capstone along
with him, and suffered very bad compound
fracture in his leg. He was carried round and
lodged again in the Iniirmary in this unhappy
condition, and the surgeon. who vas presently
brought to him, set the leg; dressed the wound,
applied the eighteen tailed bandage, &c. in the
usual way. After all this, tue patient appear
ing to be very calm, the surgeon gave seme
proper directions, went away, and the patient
was left alone to get some rest, which was
thought proper, and seemed to be his own de-
sire His madness now took singulary whim-
steal turn: he knew very well that he had got
a miserable broken leg but his crazy magma
ton made him believe that the surgeon had
mistaken the leg, had bestowed all his cunning
upon the sound leg, which required no atten-
ton, and had left the shattered limb to shift for
itself Under this firm persuasion, convinced
that his surgeon was too ignorant to perceive
his biunder. too c0nceited to be set right, and
too proud to suffer such humiliation, he thought
it would be most prudent, in his present state
of subsection, for the cure of his broken leg to
make the best use he could of the Judgment and
dexterity which God has given him. lie re-
moved the whole apparatus from the broken
leg, with great attention, that he might be able
TO apply it to the other leg so exactly in the
same manner, that the surgeon should not be
able to discover the alteration and lest any
suspicion should arise and lead 10 an inquiry
and discovery, he thought he shoui3 be still
more secure by secreting or hiding the other
leg, that it might not be found and appear in
evidence against him. He therefore tore q
| large hole in the sheet ana feather bed, and
buried the wounded leg among the feathers.
| Next day, when the surgeon visited him he
said that for while he had been in pain, but
that by fortunate and accidental motion of
the foot, the pain went off, as by a charm; that
he had continued perfectly easy ever since and
therefore was resolved to keep it as steadily as
4 possible in the same situation. The surgeon
finding him easy, the pulse quiet, and no symp-
| tom whatever of fever, went to the foot OF the
( bed, and lifted up the clothes, saying, let us
just sec how foot and leg look. The patient
seemed much alarmed with the proposal, and
| entreated him for mercy's sake TO dcsist; be-
cause, he said, the least motion in the world
would disturb it and bring all his pains back
I again. The surgeon assured him that the bed
clothes touched nothing but the cradle, and
that the lifting themup could not in the least
move either the leg or foot and then, obserV'
ing to the students that the appe arance of the
foot was rs favorable as he could wish, he ex
pressed his satisfaction and went away. Every
days visit, after this, turned out equally salts
I factory, both to the surgeon and patient, rnti
the fifth or six day, when the surgeon grew
very anxious to see the wound, lest any lurking
mischief should be concealed, and was deter
mined to remove the dressings. This the pa.
tent resisted, first with prayers and then w1th
/ imprecations and rage; but at last he was obGg.
ed to submit. The surgeon, with a cautious
and tender hand, removed tho handages, and as
he went on expressed tho pleasure which he
I felt on seeing the skin both above and below
the wound in so natural condition. At length
he lifted up The dressings, which he found We're
quite loose, and seeing leg now perfectly
sound, which few days before he had seen in
such lamentable state, you can better con-
cevo than can tell how he looked. After a
short pause, he passed his fingers along the
tibiG, and then said, only know that fracture
and wound there certainly were, and now there
is certainly neither. Presently he recovered
i himself enough to recollect that it was the 9TH
er leg which he had SGT and dressed; where i!
the other leg turning off the bedclothcs at tho
same time. Lunatics are quick in resources,
not ehsily put out Of countenance, and imagine
that nobody can doubt what they assert. MIR
Co.,, sensible now that the leg would h
Y ers. saying with great expression Of resentmc n
and rage, that he would now expose the s. II
gecn's ignorance to the whole world; that h