Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1854-02-01
TREATING A CASE ACTIVELY.
. 5E2 A Physician.s story. 'a

/ was sent for in great haste to attend a
gentleman Of respectability, who had been
discovered in his room lying senseless on.
the floor. On arriving at the house I
found Mrs. H in great distress of
mind.
ssWhat is the matter with Mr.. H? pa
1 asked, on meeting the lady. who was in
tears and looking the picture of distress.
+" I'm afraid it's apOplexy:'' he replied;
g found him lying on the floor, where
he had, to all appearances fallen sudden.
ly from his chair. His face is purple, and
though he breathes, tits with great diff
Guilty"
s., / went to see my patient. He had
been lifted from the i!oor, aud was now
lying on the bed. Sure enough his face
was purple, and breathing labored but
somehow the symptoms did not indicate
appoplexv. Every vein in his head aud
face was turgid, and he lay perfectly stu
pid; but still / saw no clear indications of
any actual or approaching congestion of
the brain.
E" Hadn't he better be bled, dootor 2"
asked the anxious wife.
81 don't know that it is necessary" l
replied. :" thinkif we let him alone it
will pass off in the course of few hours"
F" A few hours He may die in half
an hour replied the agiLated wife.
." 1 don't think the case is SO dangerous,
madam" a. .7Ho $3.50
/" Apoplexy not dangerous ?'' +
al hardly think it is apolexy.'
/" Pray what do you think tits doc
tor ?''e
Mrs. II looked anxiously into
my face. 1 delicately limited that it
might possibly have been drinking too
much brandy; but this she indignantly
objected.
No, doctor, ought TO know about
that" she said. depend upon it the
disease is more deeply seated, am
sure he had better be bled Won't you
bleed him, Doctor? A few ounces ia
ken from his arm may give life to the now
! stagnant circulation of the blood"
Thus urged, after some reflection or
dered bowl and baudage. and opening a
vein relieved him Of about eight ounces
of blood. But he lay as insensible as be-
fore, much to the distress Of his poor
wife. Something else must be done,
DOCTOR" she urged, seeing that bleeding
had accomplished nothing. elf my hus-
/
BY this time several relatives and
friends who had been sent for arrived,
and urged upon me the adoption Of some
active means of restoring the sick man TO
consciousness. One proposed mustard
plasLcrs all over his body; another, a
blister on his head third, his INNER
sion in hot water; l suggested that it
might be we'll to use stomach pump
"Why, doctor % asked one of his friends.
Perhaps he ha taken some drugs" Is
replied.
Impossible, DOCTOR" said the wife
''hc has not been from home to-day, and
there is no drug in the house."
" No brandy ?" 1 ventured the sug
gestion again.
"No, doctor, no spirits of any kind,
not even wine in the house." returned
Mrs IL in an offended tone.
wasnot the regular family physician,
and had Eeen call / in to meet the slRr.
ming emergency because my Office hap.
! pened to be nearest to the dwelling Of
Mr.. L.. Feeling my position to be
delicate one, l suggested that the fami.
! ly physician had better be called. "But
the delay, DOCTOR" urged the friends
"NU harm will result from it, be assured, :"
l replied. But my words would not as.
sure them. However, as l was firm in
my resolution not to do anything until
Dr. s. came, they had to submit.
wished to make call of importance
to be back when DR.. S. arrived; but the
friends of the sick man would not suffer
me to leave the room.
When DR.. 8. came, We Conversed 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 were still no signs Of approaching
consciousness.
''Don't you think his head must be
shaved and bIistered ?" asked the wife
anxiously.
Dr.. S. tboughta moment and then said,
eyes, by ali means send for bar
b,r, and also for fresh fly blister four
inches by nine
1 looked into the face Of DR.. S., with
surprise ; it was perfectly grave and ear
nest l hinted to him my doubt Of the
good that mode Of treatm:nt would do !;
but he spoke confidently Of the result.
and said that it would not only cure the
disease, but be believed take away the
predisposition thereto. with which Mr..
! il was affected to a high degree.
The barber came. The head Of H,
was shaved. and DrS. applied the blister
! with his own hands, which completely
covered the scalp from the forehead to the
occiput. LET n remain on two hours,
and then make use of the ordinary dres-
lsinp,,'' said DrlS. elf he should not re-
cover during the actionlof the blister, do
nosJfeel uneasy; sensibIlity viii be rsslo-
red soonaafter.''1 @ 5s=na- o .azzoI
T 1 did not call again. but ] leaned from