Evansville weekly journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 184?-18??, 1848-01-20
from the Philadelphia Saturday Courier.
TREATING A CASE ACTIVELY.
BY JOHN JONES, NJ. D.
. PHYSICIANS STORY.

tChu SCH'iCIHdH vi .IeSpScldOultN. whose
wife, a lady of intelligence and refinement,
had discovered him in his room lying sense
less on the floor.
On arriving at The house, | found Mrs.
H in great distress of mind.
"What is The matter with Mr.. II-g'
| asked on meeting his lady, who was in
tears, and looking the picture of death.
I'm afraid il is apoplexy," she replied
II found him lying upon the floor, where
he had 10 all appearance, fallen suddenly
from his chair. His face is purple, and
though he breathes, il is with greal difficult
ty."
went upto see my patient. He had
been | ed from the floor and was now "
ing upon the bed. Sure enough his face
was purp Q; and his breathing labored, but
somehow the symptoms did moi indicate APP
poplexy. Every vein in his head and face
was tinged, and be lay perfectly stupid, bul
still | saw no clear indications Of actual or
approaching congestion of the brain.
"Iiadn't he better be bIed, Doctor?7 ask.
ed the anxious vile.
Il don'i know that it is necessary, | re-
piled, 81 think If we let him alone it will
dass off in The course of a few hours"
"A few hours! lie may die in half al
heur.n aa
81 don't think the case is so dangerous
madam" ~
"Apoplexy not dangerously
a hardly think it aPopIexy, replied.
sPray what do you think il is Doctor?9
Mrs, IL looked anxiously INTO my
face. i s
delicately limited that he might possibly,
lave been drinking too much brandy, bpl 10
this she positively and almnst Indignantly OBJ
jecled.
mo Doctor. l ought to know about
that,' she said. 'Depend uponit, the dis
ease is more deeply seated. am sure he
had better be bled. Won'r yoa bleed him,
Doctor? A few ounces Of blood taken from
his arm may give life 10 his now staguanl
circulation oil the blood in his VEINS" sr
Thus urged, /, after some reflection, or
dered "a bowl and bandage, and opening a
vein, from which the blood flowed freely,
relieved him of about eight ounces of his
circulating medium. But, he still lay as in
sensible as before, much 10 the distress OF
his poor wife.
Something else must be done, Doctor,,'
she urged, seeing that bleeding had accom-
plished nothing. 'lf my husband is not
quickly relieved, he must die"
BY this time, several friends and relatives,
who had been sent Tor arrived, and urged
upon me the adoption of some more active
means for restoring the sick man TO con
sciousnes. One proposed mustard plasters
all over his body; another a blister on the
head; another his immersion in. hot water.
suggested that it might be well TO use a
stomach pump.
"Why, Doc!or?" asked one flhe friends.
"PeIhaps he has taken some Drug | re
piled.
..lmpossible, Docior.'' said The wife. sIIe
has not been from home to-day, and there is
no drug Of any Kind in the house,"
''No brandy?n | venlured this suggestion
again. - - zo 99.
NO. Doctor! No spirits Of any kind nor
even wine in the house, returned Mrs.
II in an offended tone.
| was not the regular family physician,
and had been called 10 meet the alarming
emergency, because my office happened to
be nearest TO the dwelling of Mr.. H.
Feeling my position 10 be difficult one, /
suggested that the family physician had bet
ter be called.
'But the delay, Doctor, /" urged the friends.
"No harm will result from i, be assured -
| replied.
But my words did not assure them; how
ever, as | was firm in my resolution not TO
do any thing more for tue patient until DIR.
s. come, they had 10 submit. | wished
10 make a call of importance in the neigh
borlood, and proposed going, TO be back by
the time Dr.. s. arrived; but the friends
of the sick man would not suffer me 10 leave
the room.
When DR.. s. came, we conversed
aside for a few minutes, and ! gave him my
) views oftbe case, and stated whai | had done
and why had doue it. We then proceeded
TO the bedside of our patient. There we're
I still no signs of approaching consciousness
"Don'l you tn nix his head ought to be
shaved and blis,ered?'' asked the wife, anx-
sousiy.
Doctor s. thought a moment, anC
5 then said
eyes, by all means. Send for a barber
and also for a fresh fly blister, four inches by
! mime"
| looked lnto the lace oil Dr. s. will
6 surprise. He was perfectly grave and Darn
est. | hinied 10 him my doubt OF The gooo
that mode of treatment would do. But h
spoke confidently OF The result, and said iha
! il would not only cure the disease, bur, h,
t believed, take away the predisposItion there
\ 10 with which Mr.. H was affected to
high degree,
!; The barber came. The head of H
h was shaved; aud Dr. S. applied the bills
ter with his own hands, which completed
covered the scalp from forehead TO occiput
d "Letit remain on for two hours, and the
make use of the ordinary dressing,H said D.
4" s. 'If he should not receiver durin,
y he action of the blister, don't feel uneasy
Sensibiiiiy will be restored soon ~afier."
U Ibid not call again, but heard from D
s. the result.
Alter we left, our friends stood a%nxiousl
{ around the bed upon which the sick maI
lay; but though the blister began 10 draw
h no signs of returning consciousness shove
IS themselves. further than an occasional la,