Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1854-04-27
The Physician S Story.

:
/ lying senseless on the floor. On ar
riving at the house l found Mrs. H
in great distress of mind.
what IS the matter with Mr.. II?
| asked, On meeting bis lady, wh,
was in tears and looking the pictu +,
Of distress. I'm afraid it is ap o
plexy,' she replied; 4 found him y,
Ing upon the floor, where he had, t
all appear ances, fallen suddenly from
his chair. His face is purple> anC
though he breathes, tits with. great
difficulty.
went p to see my patient He
had been lifted from the floor, and
was lying upon tue bed. Sure e.
nough his face was purple and breath
iDg laboreq; but somehow the isymp-
toms did not indicate apoplexy.-
Every vein ih bis head and face was
turgid, and be lay perfectly stupid;
but still | saw no clear indications of
any actual or approaching congestion
of the brain.
Had 1t he better be bled, doctor?'
asked the anxio US wife. i don't
know that it's necessary | replied;
/ think if we let him alone it will
pass off in the course ola few hours.
a few hou rs He may die in half
an hour
I don't think the case so danger,
Gus, madam 'Apoplexy not dan
.gerbus?' 4 hardly think its apo
plefy.' ? Fay " hat do you think it
is, doctor?'
Mrs. H looked anxiously into
my face. ! ddlicately limited that
it might pc ssibly have been drink
Ing too mu th brandy; but to this
sho indigna ntly objected. No, doc.
tor, l ought to k now about that she
said. Depend upon it the disease is
more deeply seated. / am sure be
had better be bled. Won't you
bleed him, doctor? A few ounces of
blood taken from his arm may give
life to the d or stagnant circulation
Of the blood.
Thus urged, |, after some reaec.
ton, orlered a bowl and a bandage,
and opening a vein relieved him of
about eight ounces Of blood. But
he lay insel sible as before, much to
the DISTRESS Of his poor wife
Something else must be done, doc
tor, sh urged, seeing that bleeding
had ace bmpI Iished nothing. If my
is d OF relieved quickly he
must die
By this ime several friends and
relativeB hi ID arrived. No harm
viii result Fl ON it. be assured l re-
Piled. but my words did not assure
them. iE0WeYel, as was urn IN
my resdlutiJ Jn not to do any more for
the patient until DR.. S. came, they
had to submit.
| wished 10 make call Of impor-
lance iu the neighborhood, and pro-
posed gping, to be back by the time
DR.. S. arrived; bat the friends of the
sick man wo uld not suffer me to leave
the room.
When Oh. S came we conyersed !
lside for few minutes, and | gave
sim my views Of the, case, and stated
what | had done and Why had done
t. We tho n proceeded to the bed
.ide of our patient; there were still
10 signs of approaching conscious
less. Don't you think his head
must be sha we'd aud blistered?' asked
he wife an4iously, DR.. S. thought
moment, a nd then said: Yes, by
III means; send for a barber, and
:lso for a fresh dy blister, four inches
~ nine.
| looked into the face Of Or. S.
nth surprise; it was perfectly grave
nd earnest ] hinted to him my
Ioubt Of the good that mode oftreat-
nent would do; but he spoke conf I
Iently of the result, and said that it '
iouId not only cure the disease, but |
10 believed take away the predlspo-
ition thereto, with which Mr, ID. was
fTected to a high degree.
The barber came. The head Of Il.
-as shaved, and DR., S. applied the
lister with his own hands, which I
ompletely covered the scalp from !
,rehead to occiput. Let it remain t
n for Two hours, and then make use
fthe ordinary dressing said Or. S. N
E no sbnuld NOT recover during the L