Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1863-05-15
A Touching Scene.

Twas conversing not long since, with a
returned volunteer.
81 was in the hospital as nurse, for long
time," said he, land assisted in taking of
limbs and dressing all sorts of wounds; but
the hardest thing ever did was to take my
thumbs off mans leg.
"Ah" said I, show was that"
Then he told me:
1t was young man who had severe
wound in the thigh. The ball passed com.
pletely through aud amputation was neces-
sary. The limb was cut off close up to the
body, the arteries taken up, and he seemed
to be doing well. Subsequently one of the
small arteries sloughed off. An incision
was made and it was again taken up. 1t
is well it is not the main artery said the
surgeon, as he performed the operation; he
would have bled to death before it could have
been taken up But Charley got on finely
and was fayorite with US all.
81 was passing through the ward, one
night, about midnight, when suddenly, as l
was passing Charley's bed, he spoke to me;
H, my leg is bleeding again. i
threw back the bed clothes, and the blood
spirited in the air. The main artery had
sloughed off.
Fortunately knew just what to do, and
in an instant l had pressed my thumb on the
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 convalescents
sent him for the surgeon, who came in on a
run. Il am so thankful H. said he,
as he saw me, that you were up, and knew
what to do, for he must have bled to death be-
fore I could have got here
"But, on an examination of the case, he
looked exceedingly serious, and sent out for
other surgeons. All came who were within
reach, and consultation was had over the
poor fellow. One conclusion was reached by
all. There was no place to work save the
spot where my thumb was placed; they
could not work under my thumb, and if
moved it he would bleed to death before the
artery could be taken up. There was no way
to save his life
"Poor Charley! He was very calm when
they told him, and requested that his broth
er, who was in the same hospital, might be
called up. He came and sat down by the
bedside, and for three hours / stood, aud by
the pressure of my thumb kept up the life Of
Charley, while the brothers had their last
conversation on earth. 1t was strange
place for me to be in, to feel that I held the
life of fellow mortal in my bands, as it
were, and stranger yet, to feel that an act
of mine must cause that life to depart.
Loving the poor fellow as did, it was hard
thought, but there was no alternative.
1.-THE last words were spoken, Charley
had arranged all his business affairs, and
sent tender messages to absent ones, who
little dreamed how near their lovel one stood
to the grave. The tears filed my eyes more
than once as I listened to those parting
words. All were sad, and he turned to me.
Now, b guess you had better take
your thumb off, ooh, Charley, how can l?'
said I. But it must be, you know, replied
he cheerfully. Il thank you very much for
your kindness, and now, good bye
"He turned away his head, raised my
thumb, once more the lie current gushed
forth, and in three minutes poor Charley was
dead"