Mower County transcript., 1871-08-10

!
ion. If they did, the company's not re
sponsible for their indings, at any rate
You kin pos 'mortcm thin, sure
"Come, Grunt, let's get to work: we've
no time to lose. Coroner, send in tho
table"
The coroner disappeared, aud in y few
piuc table six feet long by three il
! width. On the table were pals, spongcs
+? and . saw
I "This Journey hasn' t amounted to much
! has it., dec. ?" said the younger surgeon
-" not even an auputation among all th'
wounded, nor u case for the hospital. II
don't pay to come so far for such game"
mot if there is much to do in the city
but business ia 80 dull just now that
have plenty of time. How's practice with
your"
Notwithstanding doing. If the
weather keeps as cool rs this, there won't
be case of cholera morbus nor any sick
ness among children this summer. Still
We may have some typhoid early in the
fall. Well, which one shall We take
trstI"
"Try the red d-hcad; he's the nearest
Catch hold of the fect-ll take the
shoulders"
Saving this they approached the body
Of my late companion; one seized it by
the head, the other by the feet, and with
swinging motion they laid it on table
just brought in.. The body gave heavy
tllud aud the head a clear, resonant thumr
as they came to their resting place upon
the deal table.
"Weu, Grunt, you have the knives
pitch in, said the elder Abernethy.
The young surgeon opened his mahog-
any case, selected two or three knives OF
different sizes, felt the edges of one with
his thumb, and approached the head OF
the corpse before him Separating the
hair, he made an incisiOn through the
skin from one car over the top of the
head 70 the other Having separated tho
scalp from the skull, he turned one por-
tion inside out over the nose and face,
the other over the back of the head and
neck. The round, glistening hemisphere
of the Uranium was now exposed. like an
immense ostrich cgg rrotruding from its
nest. lie next took the saw and COM
mcnced the circuit Of the skull, saving
through the bone as he progressed
"L0ok out for your fingers, Grunt!
ptthiziny physician Of the tlorid complex
ion
While this horrid scene was being
neither Close or avert fully understood
t,c danger WAS in 1t WAS certain, from
the words of the coroner, that | was also
to become q sub ct Of dissection. made
u desperate effort to move or scream, but
the spell could not be broken. My only
nope was that the first iDcsion of the
knife wien l came upon the operating
table might arouse me from my wretChcd
trance hut almost feared that even then
might not sCapa further mutilatiOn, SO
horrible did the scientific coolncss of the
surgeons appear T." inc.
The raw finished it's work without in
jury to the fingers of tho surgeon; a
cbisul was introduced between the di-
v;dcl edges, and a few blows of ham
nn:r separated thc upper portion Of the
skull cap from the lower The whitish,
SHINING selni-circulnfcrcnce Of the brain
hoW presented itself, studded with dark
blood. vessels and rolled in convolutions,
which, from some singular fancy, could
not resist mentally comparing with the
larger folds that constitute the beauty and
Era"e Of chigncns so fashionable upon the
heads of bellies at the present day. Like
the bird charmed by the glittcring eyes of
Il snake, | became fascinated by tho scene
as the different steps Of the operation were
il progress, aud l even found myself cal
cu]alng :t what precise point my life
must Of Dccrssity become 4, sacrifice when
my tarn should come.
The surgeon, with little aid from the
knife, rolled the brain from its bed dexter
to view Tor a moment, and then deposited
it with pat upon the table With large
knife he smoothly sliced il i'll pieces much
as a corner grocer would cut his cheese,
and examined the surface exposed, appa-
rrntly with much interest.
Vessels in high state of venous con-
the vcntricl,s, Grunt Yes, filled with
died Of the shock. 'Twon't tie necessary to
proceed farther with him. Come, close up
and take the other one"
Saying this, he whishlcd, put both hands
III his pantal'on pockets, turned toward
in", "ni s. en- q tu be liking {. survey of
my proportions. Putting the toe of his
boot under one of my arms hc raised i, II
little distance and let it fall. "Not much
Ca 'avrric rigidity there yct,' he remarked.
How fresh he looks"
Appears as if he liked drop OCCASION
ally" said Grunt, as he glanced toward me
from his work.
My time seemed now near at hand.
Grunt was hastily replacing the mutt
lated brain, readjustiDg the skull aud
stitching tOg, thcr the divided edges
Of the scalp. While l felt indignant at
the cool impudence of the doctor, whose
eyes We're fixed upon me as if he were
in u deep study, l still felt the necessity of
ncrving myself for the new trial that was
now upon me.
While endcavoring to prepare myself
for he ;ssre, the key again clicked III the
lock, the door opened and the coroner en-
tered, followed Ivy twelve men, who
seemed to be farmers from the vicinity.
The look of sympathy which was ex-
pressed on the honest countcnances of
o'any of them as they gazcd upon the
dead b|f"re them was .pecui r'y grateful
to me after the exhibition of professional
indifference had just been witnessing.
Some hardly entered within the door, but
gave a hasty glance and turned away
swell, :jintlcm' II, hcv ycz viewed the
bfrlies?" said the coroner. Most Of them
nodded assent and withdrew. "The train
laves in ten minutes, jintemen," said the
coroner, turning to the physicians. "llev
yc tinished!'
"Wc'll have to leave one of them, if
that's the case," said the older physican
IT makes ,lr difference, however. lie no
"o"h, died from the same cause AS tho
o'ii' 'h''y were found togethcr.'
/ h'' rcrcved my respite. l was not I"
DC '!lans'ed ''S hal Just seen my com.
d'Aann, .nl. ~. nc reaction of my feelings was
so great that wonder it did not rouse me
from my trance. law
The doctors hnrricdly finished their
work, lett the body upon the table and
took their departure from the room.
IN few minutes four men entered,
bringing q door which had been removed
from its hinges. Upon it they tcndcrIv
placed the dead bodies, one after The
other, and bore them out. My turn came
last AS WAS carried along the platform
l had an opportunity to learn something
OF what had happened. An ovcr.,.rnc,j