The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1869-12-09
Under the Knife.


Under the Knife.
The doctor continues rapidly |
deepening tho cash, which was
made from four to five inches long
and two or three inches deep at
the very first cnt Of his scalpel.-I
AS he cnts, lie continues his cliui
cal lecture, and explains why 1
feel so little pain. He says that
"the nerves OF sensation are most
closely distributed all over the sur
face Of the body, and that there
fore the skin is the most sensitive
part; in cases like this, when once
the skin is cut through, the patient
feels little pain from the deeper
cuts of the knife this is one rea-
son why good surgeon always
makes a long slash, or a free in~
cision, AZ the very first touch Of
his instrument, that the pain may
be, as much as possible. over at
once, and that there may be no
necessity for any after hacking
ana haggling; clean cut heals
very kindly, and an inch or two OF
it, more or less, is generally Of not
much matter. Once get through
the outer envelope of the body,
and the patient, while you are cut.
ting through the subjaceht tissues,
feels little or no pain, except
when"
What! TVhatN WHAT!!! is
THIS
A sensation as if a gallon Of
melted lead had been poured into
my wound, and instantly permea.
ted every artery and vein in all
my body; as if l werc naked in a
rain Of boiling liquid caustic; as if
| were in a shower bath of melted
brass; as il boiling pitch had been
dashed upon my quivering skin,
and were being peeled off, bring
ing with it each and every 5air
from my body, and as if a million
of fine cambria needles at d white
heat had now been inserted to fill
up the places where the hairs
came out; as if l were stung by o
million bees at once; as il every
drop Of blood left in me had been
suddenly transformed into an ach-
ing tooth--then as if all these
teeth were drawn simultaneously,
and tho hollows filled with melted
gold; as if l had been turned in
side out, as Muncbasen served the
wolf, and then flung on a hot sand
heap; as if / had been fayed alive,
aud then set to wade up Vesuvius
knee deep in liquid lava, and in q
shower of red-hot cinders, without
boots on, and with no umbrella; as
il all my nails had been dragged of
with blacksmith's pincers, and my
! fnger.tips dipped IN liquid sealing
wax; as if Well, if you have
) enjoyed the luxury Of having a
dentist file tooth with "a nerve
exposed, ~ and if you will imagine
that delightful sensation multi.
t piled by twenty-five thousand and
. eleven, and then complicated with
D neuralgia, TIC douloureux, and
r cramps in the stomach, you may
i be able to get the ghost OF shad
+ ow OF faint approach to remot
: comprehension OF what 1 suffered
q in this one 'agonizing instant.
l again say "instant," for
8 though it leaves each feshy parti
Gle OF my body quivering with
sensation near akin to that feeling
i, commonly known as having th'
;. "the teeth set on edge" the in
Q tense acuteness of the pain last
d but an instant-no mortal coulC
9 endure it longer and remain con
d scious; in fact, feeting as it is,
t am only saved from second fain
), by another timely dash of ice-wa
@ ter.
a And what has happened is onl.
ono of those exceptions" of whicl
IS tho doctor is about to speak, whel
8, tho glass of water becomes neces
sary. The ScalpeI has Secered
= ner0e. Though this exquisitel,
n sensitive fibrilla, or remote of
# shoot of the brain itself, is probabl
not larger than a slender silke
" thread, the comparisons abov
r. written can convey but feebly a
o idea of the sickening pain occasion
ed by the cutting of the nerve
|, fibre. = Mortimer Thomson, /
l. Hours at Home for December.