Litchfield enquirer., 1858-05-20

IS Having published the verdict of the coro-
ners jury on the death Of Adam Bently, We copy
from the New. Haven Courier, the following commu.
nication from DR.. Babcock
MgssKs.s EDIroRs My. attention has been called
to an article in your paper copied from the Litch
field enquirer, purprting to be an account of the
death of Mr.. Adam Bently of Goshen, and in con
necton with it, the opinion of certaic persons os
tensibly acting in the capacity of Jury Of Inquest
! in whielfProf Hurnham of Lowell, and myself. are
disrcputahly arraigned before the public. The only
thing connected with the article in question, de.
serving attention. is its gross perveson of the facts
in tho case !; whether from ignorance design
will not here pretend to say but Judging by the zeal
of these who seem most interested in giving them
publicity the latter conclusion seems most likely to
be- true.
+ IT is stated that AN attempt was made to ampu-
tate the arm of Mr. Bcntly, and that be " died
der the operation. &C., all of which is substantial
/ " untrue, and must have been known to be SO by
those who set forth this claim There was no Sc at
tempt about it, the arm amputated. and SO faI
from the patient dying under the operation" he
did not die until about three-guarters of an hour
afterwards as it was much feared he would by those
who performed it, before it undertaken. But to
be little more explicit in the matter:
/ Mr.. Rently had a cancer on his hand, which was
| removed by some person in New York. Soon after
wards it became evident that the disease had taken
hold Of the hone. and was working its way up the
arm. The resident physician in Goshen, as it ap-
pears to arrest the further progress of the disease
amputated the arm below the elbow. and too low to
~emnve tbe diseased hone. II now became nainful
" evident that some speedy and effective treatment
must be undertaken, the patient lose his life. In
this emergency, Prof Burnham and myself were
called, and found it very critical case, and the
chances of saving the life of the patient exceedingly
tsmall To leave the arm or any norton of it on
Was surc and speedy death to amputate it at the
onlv Mace that wonl he of the least avail. the
shoulder as the disease had already showed itself
up,}er the arm left under the circumstances a
small chance for life We informed Mr.. Rently to
this effect Mr. Rnrnbam EXPRESSLY and repeatedly
told him So told him that if he tainted under the
operation death was sure to follow but if he lived
twelve hours after it. he would probably recover
The matter was talked over by the family for week
before the operation was attempted. that there
might be a perfect understanding and nothing done
without due reflection and calmly counting the
cost The decision was made to have the operation
performed. and risk the result. Mr.. Bently said
that he could live only few days he was, and If
he died under the operation it would be Fastening
his death only brief period at the longest So lit
| tie encouragement did give him, and SO doubtful
was he of the result that he signed his will. and
then ly urgent request on his part, the operation
was undertaken. It was performed. and he died in
aheut three-quarters of an hour afterwards. His
family expressed themselves satisfied excepting a
brother who refused having the arm ampntated
but without avail nor did We know of any dissatis-
faction anywhere among those interested, until the
article in question appeared in print have thus
detailed the facts in the case feeling this much due
to those implicated, and shall here leave it.
As regards the use of the term "Quack," as ap
piled to Prof Burnham and myself have only to
say that that gentleman is skilful surgeon Of ex
tensivc practce-Professor of Surgery in a medical
institution in Boston, and has high reputation in
his profession. There is not. probably a surgeon in
this city of anything like the large practice and
surgical reputation and the idea of the small fry
OF the Litchfefd Enquirer, calling such man quack
The learned ;nrv saw that the - canse and manner
of Mr.. Bently's death was unknownA will not dis
pute with them on TINS point II was not 70 DC ex
H. AZ .he !nos. 40 - s $500 a.e
death as it would to decide upon the cause of the
death of person, who, in the presence of number