Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1863-07-08
ATouchins scone.

1 was C, nycrsing not long s:nce with a re-
turned volunteer. ,
.sl-was in the hospital as nurse, for u long
time said he, and assisted in taking off
limbs, aud dressing all sorts of wounds; hut
the hardes, thihg4 ever dviie was to take M
thlub Of a mans leg"
"Ah!m said / show was that 2" Then he
told me.
twas a Young man who had a severe
wound in the thigh. The ball passed com
plutefy through and a,nputstioa was necessa-
.ry. The limb was cut off close up to the
body; the arteries taken up, end he seemed to
be doing well. Subsequently one ofthe small
arteries sloughed of. An inclsion. was made
and it was again taken up. &c is we'll ii
was not the main avery said the surgeon
as be performed the .opcration "he might
have blei to death before we codll have Ia
ken it up" But Charley got on finely and
was afavorite with US all.
was passing through the ward one night,
about midnight, when suddenly as was
passing Charley's bed be spoke 10 me: " H
-, nv leg 10 bleeding again" | threw
back the bed clothes, and the blood spirited
in the air. The mxin artery had sloughed
of.
Fortunately I knew just what to do, and in
an instant / had pressed my thumb on tie
place and stopped the bleeding. 1t was so
close to The body that there was barely ROOM
for my thumb but succeeded in keeping it
there and arousing one Of the conyalescents,
sent him for the surgeon, who cam in "n the
run. liam so thankful. Il" said he,
rs he saw me, " that you were up and knew
what to do, for he must have bled to death
before I could have got here"
But on examination in the case he looked
exceedingly serious and sent out for Other
surgeons. All cane who were within reach,
and a consultation was held oyer the poor
fellow. One conclusion was, reached by all.
There was no place to work save the spot
where my thuHb was placed they could not
work under my thumb, and if I moved it he
would bleed to death before the artery could
be taken up; There was 20 way TO save his
life. Ss
Poor Charley He was very calm when
they told him, and requested that his brother,
who was in the same hospital, might he call
ed up. He zane and sat down by the bed
side, and for three honrs l Stood, and by the
pressure; of my thumb kept up the life of
Charley, while the brothers had their last con-
rersation on Garth. It was a strange place
for me to.bc in, to feel that1 had the life o
o fellow mortal in my hands, as it were, and
stranger yet, 20 .fccEthat an act Of mine must
Cause That life to depart. Loving the POOR
fellow as | did, it was 3 hard thought; but
there was no alternative.
The last words were spoken. Charley mad
arranged all his business %afisirs, and sent ten
= der messages to absent ones, who little dream
cd how near their. loved one stood to the
grave. The tears filed my eyes more than
once as I listened: to those parting words.
All We're said, aud he,turned tome. "NoW,
H, ] guess you had better take off Jour
thumb" -, Charley /! bow can lT' I said.
But it must be, you know he replied
chcerlutiy-'sI thank you very much for
your kindness, and now, good bye"
He turned away his head, 1 raised my
thumb, once more the life current gushed
forth, and in three minutes poor Charley was
dead.