Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1854-01-26

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la gentleman of responsibility, who had
been discovered in bis room lying sense
less on the floor. On arriving at the
house, found Mrs. H in great dis.
tress of mind.
"What is the matter with Mr.. Il
l-w 1 asked, on meeting his lady,
who was in tears and looking the pic
ture of distress. "I'm afraid it is apo
lplexy," she replied; Il found him lying
on the floor, where he had, to all ap-
pearances, fallen suddenly from his
chair. His face is purple, and though
he breathes, it is with great difficulty" "
went up to see my patient. He had
been lifted from the floor, and was now
lying upon the bed. Sure enough his
face was purple and breathing labored;
but somehow the symptoms did not in
dicat te apoplexy. Every vein in his
head and face was turgid, and he lay
perfectly stupid; but still l saw no clear
indications of any actual or approach
ing congestion of the brain.
Hadn't he better be bled, doctor?''
asked the anxious wife. 81 don't know
that it's necessary" replied; 81 think
if we let him alone, it will pass off in
the course of few hours" ga few
hours! He may die in half an hour" I"
al don't think the case is so dangerous,
madam" "Apoplexy not dangerous?"
81 hardly think it is apopIexy."-
"Pray what do you think it is, doctor?"
Mrs. H looked anxiously into my
face. l delicately limited that it might
possibly have been drinking too much
brandy; but to this she Indignantly OBJ
jected. "No, doctor, 1 ought to know
about that" she said. depend upon
it the disease is more deeply seated. 1
am sure he had better be bled. Won't
you bleed him, doctor? A few ounces
of blood taken from his arm may give
life to the now stagnant circulation of
the blood"
Thus urged, I, after some reflection,
ordered a bowl and a bandage, and
pointing a vein relieved him of about
eight ounces of blood. But he lay as
insensible as before, much to the dis
tress of his poor wife. Something
else must be done, DOCTOR" she urged,
seeing that bleeding had accomplished
nothing. eff my husband is not re-
lieved quickly he must die"
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 plasters all over his body; an
other blister on the head, and third
his immersion in hot water. l sug-
gested that it might be well to use
stomach pump. "Why, doctor?" asked
one of his friends. "Perhaps he has
taken some drug" 1 replied. "Impos-
sible, DOCTOR" said the wife. che has
not been from home to-day, and there
is no drug in the house." "No bran
dy?" 1 ventured this suggestion again.
"No, doctor, no spirits of any kind,
nor even wine in the house." returned
Mrs. H, in an offended tone.
was not the regular family physi-
clan, and had been called in to meet the
alarming emergency because my Office
happened to be nearest the dwelling of
Mr.. H. Feeling my position to be a
difficult one, l suggested that the family
physician had better be called. '"But
the delay, DOCTOR" urged the friends.
.No harm viii result from it, be as
sured," replied. But my words did
not assure them. However, as / was
firm in my resolution not to do anything
more for the patient until DR.. S. came,
they had to submit.
l wished to make a call of impor-
tance in the neighborhood, and proposed
going, to be back by the time DR.. S.
arrived; but the friends of the sick man
would not suffer me to leave the room.
When DR.. S. came we conYersed
aside for few minutes, and l gave my
views of the case, and stated what l
had done and why 1 had done it. We
then proceeded to the bedside of our
patient; there were still no signs of ap-
preaching consciousness. "Don't you
think his head must be shaved and
bEstered?" asked the wife anxiously.
DR.. S. thought a moment, and then
said, Eyes, by all means: send for
barber, and also for fresh fly blister,
four inches by nine"
/ looked into the face of DR.. s. with
surprise; it was perfectly grave and
earnest. l limited to him my doubt of
the good that mode of treatment would
do; but he spoke confidently of the re-
suit, and said that it would not only
cure the disease, but he believed take
away the predisposition thereto, with
which Mr.. H was affected to high
degree.
The barber came. The head of
H was shaved, and DR.. s. applied
the blister with bis own hands, which
completely covered the scalp from head
to occiput. sIeti it remain on for two
hours, and then make use of the ordi-
nary dressing," said DR.. s. eff 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
Dr.. s. the result. After we left, the
friends stood anxiously around the bed
upon which the sick man lay; but
though the blister began to draw, no