Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-07-17
TENDER TREATMENT.
The Humanity of French Physi-
clans and Surgeons.
Il. WHITm0RE,
Publisher and Proprietor

The Humanity of French Physi-
clans and Surgeons.
From "Love in the Nineteenth Century," by
Miss Preston.l
And he fell into "reminiscences Of
his happy life in Paris as medical stu
dent Of mature mind and genuine en-
thusiasm. They had told him in Eng
land that he would find the acknowl-
edged kings of physiological and medi-
cal science, the great French specialists,
mere intellectual machines, eager to in
crease their knowledge at any cost of
animal anguish, dealing with cases only,
not with patients, careless Of the sacred
humanities of their profession. And |
found, he went on kindling, that in
sular dullness and selfcomplacency had
never compassed more stupid mscon-
ceptienl The humanity of these great
French savans is of somewhat too re-
fined and tender type for John Bull to
appreciate. Viola tout came by
Gods grace to know some of them well,
and / found that their untiring researches
into the mysteries of human life and
suffering had made them, almost to a
man, humble, delicate, infinitely merci-
full. The claims on their thought, atten-
ton of the sufferer, or the learner, espe-
cially if stranger, | never once saw
sighted, or otherwise than most rever-
emily and carefully considered.
How we'll | remember, he con-
tinued, going one Sunday morning
with friend to one OF the principal hos
pitals. 1t was the vacation term at the
Medical School, and there we're but few
students or visitors about. AS we passed
into the hall, we heard groans, evidently
of child in great pain. The door lead
ing to the sick ward was ajar, and as we
approached we heard the voice of man
talking earnestly with the little sufferer.
There was something very affecting in
the imploring tones of the childs voice
and the tender and sympathizing replies
of the physician, and it seemed to us no
breach of etiquette to witness unseen
through the crack of the halfopen door
the scene that was passing within. On
narrow pallet near the window lay
fine boy nine or ten years old, dying of
cancer, developing Itself between the
eyes and behind the nose. 1t had not
yet shown itself externally, but had de-
stroyed the sight, and was attended by
excruciating suffering. By his side sat
a stately white-haired man, holding with
one hand the two of the little patient
while with the other he caressingly
smoothed his hair. The child told the
story of his pain, All je soufretantl"
to which the old man listened patiently,
promising to devise some relief. Then
he rose to 90, but first bent over the boy,
and with tears dropping from his eyes,
kissed his forehead lovingly as a mother.
The white-haired man was the world
Nelaton-Nelaton, lately sum
moned to attend the fallen Emperor
Another reminiscence of another
Sunday morning in Paris. ! saw brought
into the hospital young working girl,
whose leg had been crushed by heavily
loaded omnibus, and so badly as to re-
uuire instant amputation. The surgeon
on duty was the famous NJ Richard
We were asked to assist that time. gave
the anasthetic, and / remember he charg
ed me to keep the poor child, as he
called her, unconscious, not only during
the operation, but until every trace of it
had been removed. He intercepted
attendant who would have
brought the tray of instruments within
sight before she slept; and anything
equal to his patient soothing Of her pain |
and terror, the delicate care which ban
ished all that was unnecessarily agitat- |
ing from the scene, the deliberate and
exquisite pity which softened his every
look and movement, / hardly hope TO
see again. That also was a man.
Aud if you come to types Of man
hood, continued the doctor, by this time
with moistening eyes, where, save in
this same tempest-tossed and beaten
France, will you look for the finest, at
least in our day2 Simple, legal servants
Of science, Of art-nay, and Of faith
also, some Of them-they preserve, even
in their warfare, an urbanity which the
rest Of US never attain.