Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1848-01-27
From The Saturday Ecening Post.
TREATING A CASE ACTIVELY.
A Physicians Story.
BY JOHN JONES, NJ. d.


r IN great distress OF mind
~ What is the matter with Mr.. H.
! asked, on meeting his lady, who was in tear
and looking the picture of distress.
" I'm afraid II is appoplexy,' she replied
: found him lying upon the floor, where h
had, to all appearances, fallen suddenly from
\ his chair. His face is purple, and though h,
breathes, it is with great difficulty
! went up to see my patient. lie had beer
/ lifted from the floor and was now lying upor
| the bed. Sure enough his face was purple
and breathing labored, but some how the symp
toms did not indi cate appoplexy. Every VEN
in his head and face was tinged, and he lay
/ perfectly stupid, but still saw no clear indica
ton of an actual or approaching congestion o.
the brain.
n Hadn't he better be bled, Doctorr . asked
the anxious wife.
n don't know that it is necessary ] replied
. think if we let him alone it will pass off in
course of "A few hours
I A few hours! lie may die in half an
hour
\ Il don't think the case is so dangerous
madam
!, 'Apoplcxy not dangerousr
II Il hardly think it apoplcXy,' replied.
Il Pray what do you think it is, Doctorp
Mrs. Il looked anXiousy into my
face
4 decately hintcd that he might, possibly
have been drinking too much brandy but this
she positively and almost Indignantly object
ed To.
No, Doctor. ought to know about that =,
she said. Depend upon it, the case is more
deeply seated. ] am sure he had better be
blcd. Won't you bleed him, Doctor A few
q ,,I.. S..
life to the stagnated circulation of the blood in
his veins
Thus urged, ! after some reflection, ordered
a bowl and bandagc, and opening vein, from
which the blood flowed freely, relieved him OF
about eight ounces of his circulating medium
But, he still lay as inscnsible as before, much
to the distress of his poor wife.
4 Something else must be done, Doctor, sh,
urged, seeing that bleeding had accomplished
nothing. If my husband is not quickly re-
| Iievcd, he must die
| By this time, several friends and relatives
who had been sent for, arrived, and urged up
! on me the adoption of some more active
. means for restoring the sick man to cOncOus-
ness. One proposed blisiers all over his body
another "A blister on his head another his I'M
mersion in hot water. | suggested that il
might be well to use a stomach pump.
'Why, Doctorl' asked one of the friends.
" Perhaps he has taken some drug ro-
piled.
Impossible, Doctor said the wife. Ito
has not been from home to-day, and there IL
no drug of any kind in the house
No BRANDY | vcnturcd this suggestion
again.
No, Doctor No spirits of any kind, nor
even wine in the house, returned Mrs. Il
in an offended tone.
was not the regular family physician, and
had been called in to meet the alarming emer-
gency, because my Office happened to be near
est to the dwelling of Mr.. IL. Feeling
my position to be difficult one, ] suggested
that the family physician had better be call
ed
Bu, the delay, Doctor urged the friends.
No harm will result from 1t be assured |
replied.
But my words did not assure them. How
ever, as ! was firm in my resolution not to do
anything more for the patient until DIR. $
came, they had to submit. wished to make
a call of importance in the neghborhood, and
proposed going, to be back by the time DIR.
s. arrived but the friends of the sick man
would not suffer me to leave the room.
II When DR.. $ came, we convcrscd aside
for few minutes, and gave him my views
of the case, and stated what had done and
why had done it, We then proceeded TO the
bedside of our patient There was still no
signs of approaching consciousness.
: Don't YOU think his head ought to be shaved
and blistercd - asked the wife anxiously.
!, Doctor s. thought moment, and then
said
Yes, BY all means. Send for barber ,
and also fresh fly blister, four inches by
nlnc.'
II looked into the face of Dr. $ with
surprise. 1t was perfectly grave and earnest.
| hintcd to him my doubt of the good that
mode of treatment would do. But he spoke
confidently of the result and said that it would
not only cure the disease, but, he believed
take away the predispostlon thereto with
which Mr. Il was affected IN a high de-
gree.
The barber came. The head of Mr.. Il
was shaved and DIR. s. applied the blis-
ter with his own hands, which completely COW
cred the scalp from forehead To occput.
I Let il remain on for two hours, and then
/ make use of the ordinary dressing, sald Doc
| tor s. If he should not recover during
the action of the blister, don't feel uneasy
Sensibility will be- restored soon after
did not call again, but heard from Doctor
$ the result
I After we left. the friends stood anxiously
around the bed upon which the sick man lay
hut though the blister began to- draw, no signs
of returning consciousness showed themselves,
further than an occasional low moan, or AN
uneasy tossing of the arms. For full two
hours the burning plaster parchcd the tender
skin of II---'s shorn head, and was then re-
moved " had done good service. Dress
ings were then applied repeated and repeat
ed again but sull the sick man hy in deep
stupor
II has done no good Hadn't we better
send for the Doctor . suggested his wife
4 Just then the eyes of Il opened, and lac
looked with half stupid surprise from face Ia
/ face of the anxious group that surrounded the
! bed.
II 'What in the mischcfTs the mattcr' he NJ
length said At the same time feeling a
strange sensation about his head, he placed
his hand rather heavily thereon.
|, Hc1,tns and Garth - lie was now FUZZY