The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1859-04-09
Tough Treatment.

Tough Treatment,
Ws suppose it Is not well 10 veakru pub
Ag confidence Ia ths d0ciors, either iu medi-
irne Or theology-fur Nhat should wo do
without eitheg--but g evident that Rev, Dr.
lhulrr Of Boston has undergone a great
amount " unnecessary suffering IN bic late
confinement az Lowell aud may Justly be con
sidcrcd a mariyr 70 sargsy, According 10
ihgA ipvH Of his preSeut physicians, the course
% treatment % which be was subjected, from
the time when he rsGke bis leg on the 25th
u October, % the middle u January, was all
wrong and positively barbarous, aud Il Il on
IS since tho lasl mentioned period that be
has been put on the road 10 recovery by Ta-
tiahal treatment A. that lime his attending
physicians declared that there was nothing for
him but insanity or death Since then be
haS recovered rapidly, has been renewed TO
Boston, and Il now able to 80 out From a
minute history of the case Ia tho Bath, Ne,
limes, We give some particulars
"ln The FIRST instance, ipiuts we're put on
sbd bandaged very tghl, allowing no room
Tor enlargement Of the lex by swelling. This
number of days, 'Amputhlion WAS talked Of
-Nntren-pi HostsH sss ssat TOT, stdsTsa
~1he spliGts removed, but advised against ani-
puiation nt that stage. When tho aplInts
were removed portions Of the leg which they
had coveted hat begun 10 turn very dark col
cred. This was called sphaoelus, aud Il was
said modification was following 10 igs path.
The progreas Of tho modification (Rangrene
probably was stopped BY application u BIT
D. III ID al ID nGf Ia aH gf eIf Ia
- physician, but 10 opposition 10 one Of
tAeEi tie application having been recon-
merded by ono OF Mr.. 1hayrl's relatives and
aEpl.gd by lis lieBGi, This was considered
. farming polgt in the case, The leg Was
then cut open on the outer side, if0m the
knee 70 the thigh, making wound that gap
ID open four inches. The second day after
t..s was done the sufferer came near losiER
he lie by bleeding from thi, wound, One
of the physicans called, and IN tho absence
- the other stopped the beediugi and Tor
this presumption be was accused by the
other Of a departure from the lRe Of profess
sorsl euquelte, aud IN consequences Of thu
professional Misunderstanding DR., Dalton
declined 10 have anything more TO do With
t4e case.
"Dr KimbaIl then removed from the
wound with foTeeps and scissors portions Of
the cellular tissue, until II was all removed
~ bare. The lex below the knee Was cover
81 With sticking plaster which Was carried
dawn agd ti'd Under the foot, aud 10
tii, WIS made fast u pail containing from
Two 20 four pounds OF weight, and this hung
over the foot Of the bed for tho purpose Of
icugthcuing the leg the bones Of which weTr
Tapped over each other three inches or more,
the muscles all dcranged and apparently be-
coming matted together In this condition
Mr. lhyer lay for many weeks suffering the
most intense pain, aud was removed only
about once a VsSk from one hed TO- another.
aud this was done only by the aid Of ten
men. During this Mole time the limb was
laying upon the uneven surface ola mattras6i
the bones ofthe back began to protrude thro'
the skin! Nothing wss done for the genor'
1. health Of the patients no direction was
given as to what lie should eat or drink, and
asa rrtult neuralgia and the most trouble
SEINE ncyous pains were brought on, and
until alter the middle Of January when the
case passed under new medical control no
n.tural action Of the bow els was produced.
At times the patient became almost frantic,
'--.il.t~ -~-SS Vthp,iy ,,s.. p,.~.,
the limb whs thoroughly cleanSed Of the
large quantities Of suc, and other foreign
aulslalu3s,w had collected upon il. wash. !
ed ihoroughly--a thing that had not been
done Tor three months-put IN proper shape |
lE splints. nicely padded and fitted to the !
parts by SO doing bringing the muscles into !
their proper position and pressing into their |
appropriate place the ends of the bones which 4
were uniting in an angular position causing 1
mn obtrusion Of tho euds. The limb had lain /
40 long with obslructed circulation that /! |
had Income nearly dead and in a short time
would have been past resusotation. Allthis
was done on Monday on the Saturday fol.
loving Mr. ThayVT was removed 70 Boston,
and is now doing we'll"