Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-03-09

NAO" phoO POi Cphoh iSCihS "Ouit
come in, and might disturb the COO
equilibrium of mind so essential tC
skill and steadiness of hand.
Gas the time approached, my con
cern increased. So oppressive die
this become that at last | sent for Mr.
Baldwin, and seriously proposed thai
DIR. B, the eminent surgeon tc
whom | have jnst referred, should be
called on to perform the operation.
"He is older, and has larger ex
perience," l said. "All the profess
ion award to him the first place in
our city, if not in the country"
II have no doubt of his skill" re-
piled my friend, speaking in a firm de.
cided way, 'but his skill - ~At snpple.
mented with sObriety. You know
that as well as | do. His habit of
drinking too freely has become a thing
OF common notoriety, and is gradually
destroying public confidence. Oh, nc
doctor! The hand that cuts down in
to h Ter flesh must be steadieG by
healthy nerves, and not wine or brandy
| will not hear to it. The man is a
drunkard-l call his habitual and ex-
cessive use Of strong drinks by its
right name-and so | set him aside.
| will not run any risk with a drunk.
ard. He hangs out sign on which
is written, Beware! | read it and
pass over on the other side, getting
out of the way of danger"
q felt,strongly the force of all this
and said no more about Dr. B.
The DAY came at last. Ten o'clock
was the hour at which the operation
was to he performed. For two whole
days had strictly abstained from
even glass of wine, giving my ner-
yous system that long period in which
to recover the natural steadiness
which might have been weakened
through over action occasioned by
stimulaats.
MIR. Baldwin called on me as early
as eight O'Clock He was very ner-
vous and oppressed by evil forebod-
ings. The number and variety of
questions he had to ask. annoyed me
for | coHld not answer them truthful
ly, without adding to his over wrought
fears Not that | apDrehended dan
ger. for was master of my profess
ion. and knew the exact position OF ev-
cry artery. vein, nerve. gland and
muscle among which | had to pass
the -caipeI. Nay, in order to make
the assurance doubIy sure, | had spent
an honr in the dissecting room on the
! day before, giving to the anatomical
organism of the neck a new and close
examination. | had to but extirpate
a tumor-hadly located, it is true
and this any skiIlful surgeon might
safely accomplish. A steady and con
fident hand, and favoring circumstan-
ces, were al that he required.
Il carefully concealed my annoy
ance under light, almost playful ex.
terror, and rallied him for his unman.
ly weakness-calIed the operation
one of minor Importance involving lit
tie risk. A shadow of coming evil
rested daIkIy on his spirit.
"At ten O'Clock, accompanied by
three assistants, one of them a sur
gcon of tried skill, | repaired to the
house of my friend. The white face
and scared look of the servant who
admitted US, and asked US to go up tt
the front chamber in the second story
was something familiar TO my pro
fessional eyes, and did not in the leas
disturb the equipOise of mind essen
tial to my work. In the hall above
Mr. Baldwm's trembling hand grasp
, ed mine with silent pressure. | Smil
cd as | said good morning in an un
concerned voice and passed into The
room where the operation was to bt
, performed. The table | had selected
was there. Quickly and silently, act
| ing from previous concert, we PLACED
the table in the best relation to th,
: light, arranged instruments, bandage
and all things necessary to the worl
in hand, and then, after giving to thi
: preparation the temporary conceal
ment in our power, announced ou
, readiness.
in moment after, Mrs, Baldwin
: entered from al adjoining chamber
: She was beautiful woman in th
| prime of life. Never had she looked
more beautiful than now. Her strOn|
will had mastered fear; and strength
:, courage and resignation looked ou
/ from her clear eyes, and rested OF
/ her firm lips.
). "She smiled but did not speak.
a took her by the hand and led her t
= The table on which she was to lie dun
T. ing the operation, saying as | did SC
s 1t will al be over in few minutes
}, and you won't feel it as much as pi
e scratch.
n GAS soon as she was in position,a
o assistant, according to arrangement
e presented the sponge saturated wit
ether, and in two minutes complet
v anesthesia was produced. On the IL
d slant | made the incision, and CT
s. quickly down to the tumor. 1t was
a hard, fbrous substance: and a fe
l. carefully made efforts to dissect
e away from the surrounding parts, col
e tirmed my previous opinion that
| was large and deeply seated. But
e. understood my business, and was
b. entirely interested in what | was d.
y ing, that forgot my patients ident
is ty, and so pursued the work in han
q. with concentration of thought an
is purpose that gave science and a
" their best result. 1t took full twent
b. five minutes to separate the tune
to from all the blood vessels, nerves al
d muscles it had involved. At the Ell
o. of thirty minutes. we bore our patier
still insensible, to her bed in the a
ly joining chamber, and laid her dov
lg gently, as one in quiet sleep-the