The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1866-02-08
"reminiscences of a Southern Hospital.

The following touching story we take from
the February number of the Cosmopolite
Femenine sympathy being much more de-
monstrative than masculine, particularly when
surgeons are in question-who, Injured to the
aspect of suffering, have more control over
their professional feengs-the nurses often
came to me when only the Doctor was needed.
One very cold night in December, while sleep
ing at the hospital, in answer to my demand
as to who was knocking and what was want
ed, a nurse said that something was the mat
ter with Fisher. Telling him to go for the
Doctor, and putting on some clothing, for
Fisher was an especial favorite, | hurried to
the ward He was a young man, hardly
twenty years old, who had been wounded ten
months previously, very high on the leg, near
the hip and who, by dint of good nursing,
good food and plenty of whiskey, had been
given fair chance CT recovery
he bones ofthe broken leg had tapped, and
nature had thrown out a ligature between the
several parts; but his side curved out. and the
wounded left leg was half dozen inches short
er than its fellow He had been the object Of
sedulous care on the part Of all-Surgeons,
ward-maSters, nurse, and matron and the last
effort to assist him was by the aid of an open
cylinder of pasteboard, made at my kitchen,
OF ma ~ eets Of coarse paper, cemented tc-
gether with very stiff paste. This Was to clasp,
10y its own prepared curve, the dcformed hip,
and be a support for it should lie be able to
Use crutches.
He was a stout fresh, hearty young man.
interesting i'll appearance, and and gentle man
uered and accomplishing that all had learned
to love him. Supported by the nurse he had
walked up and down his ward once or twice
for the frs time this day, on his crutches, and
all seemed vel. That night he turned over
and uttered an exclamation of great pain.
Following the nurse to his bed, the cover
ing was turned down; when small jet of
blood spirited upward the sharp edge Of one
Of the spIintered bones had severed the arte-
ry. put my finger l. the little orifice and
awaited the surgeon. He speedily canle-took
long look aud shook his head. The ex-
PLANTATION was easy; the artery was embedded
III the 1eshy part of the side, and could not be
taken up. No earthly power could save
MN.
What could it avail for DR.. - to re-
main He required his time and his strength,
aid sat by the boy, himself almost uncon-
scious that any particular accident lad hap
pened. The hardest trial OF Woman's du y
aid before me, the necessity Of teln 8 man,
in the pine Of life, perfectly Ignorant Of tie
danger, that his HE was eLbing away-that
there was no hope!
1t was done at last, and the information
received atielitly and ourageously-some
directions given to me by which his mother
would be informed of his DEATH and then he
turned his questioning eyes upon my face.
'How long can l Hve?'
"Just as long as I hold my finger on this
artery"
a long pause ensued. God alone knows
what thoughts passed through that heart,
called so suddenly-so unexpectedly from all
earthly ties. He broke the silence at last
"You can let go -"
But could not Not if my life had de-
pended on the action. Hot tears rushed to
my eyes-a surging sound was in my ears,
and deathly GOODNESS around my lips. The
pang of obeying him was spared ne-for the
first and last time during my hospital soionrn,
tainted away.