Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1873-11-20
"Hadn't he better be bled, doctor p

"Hadn't he better be bled, doctor 2
asked the anxious wife.
IL don't know that it is necessary,
l replied. II think, if we let hin
alone, it will pass off in the course o
few hours
"A few hours He may de in hal
an hour"
81 don't think the case is so danger
Gus, madam"
"Apoplexy not dangerous2
81 hardly think it apoplexy," l re
piled.
pray. what do you think it is
doctor?
Mrs. H looked anxiously into
my face.
l delicately limited that he might
possibly, have been drinking too muct
brandy; but to this she positively ant
Indignantly objected.
mo. doctor; l ought to know abou,
that,' she said. "De.,end upon it, the
disease is more deeply seated. an
sure he had better be bled. Won,
you bleed him. doctor? A few ounces
OF blood taken from his arm may give
lie to the now stagnant circulation o
the blood in his veins"
Thus urged, l, after some reflection
ordered a bowl and bandage. and
opening vein, from which the blood
flowed freely, relieved him of abou,
eight ounces Of his circulating medium
But he still lay as insensible as before,
much to the distress of his poor wife
something else must be done, doc
tor," she urged, seeing that bleeding
had accomplished nothing IF my
husband is not quickly relieved, he
must die"
by this time. several friends and
relatives, who had been sent for, arriv.
ed, and urged upon me the adoption OF
some more active means for restoring
the sick mau to consciousness. One
proposed mustard plasters all over his
body; another a blister on the head ;
another his immersion in hot water.
suggested that it might be we'll to use
stomach-pump.
why, doctor!" asked one of the
friends.
Perhaps he has taken some drug"
replied.
impossible, DOCTOR" said the wife.
"He has not been from home to-day,
and there is no drug Of any kind in the
house"
No brandy:" l ventured this sug.
gestion again.
"No, doctor, no spirits Of any kind, g,
nor even wine, in the house." returned
Mrs. II, in an offended tone.
was not the regular family physi-
clan, and had been called in to meet
the alarming emergency, because my
office happened to be nearest to the
dwelling Of Mr.. IL. Feeling nv
position to be difficult one, l sug-
gested that the family physician had
better be called.
But the delay, doctor" urged the
friends.
No harm will result from it, be
assured l replied.
But my words did not assure them.
However, as was firm in nv resolu.
ton not to do anything more for the
patent until DIR. s. came, they had
TO submit. wished to make q call of
Importance in the neighborhood, and
proposed going. to be back by the time
DR.. s. arrived but the friends of
the sick man would not suffer me TO
leave the room.
when Or. S-came, we converscd
aside for few minutes, and gave
him my views Of the case, and stated
what l had done and why | had done
1t. We then proceeded to the bedside
OF our patient; there were still no signs
OF approaching consciousness.
Don't you think his head ought to
be shaved and blistered?" 2" asked the
wife, anxiously.
DIR. 8 thought a moment, and
then said-"Yes, by all means. Send
for barber; and also for a fresh tiy-
blister, four inches by nine"
l looked into the face Of DR.. $
with surprise; it was perfectly grave
and earnest. l limited to him nv doubt
of the good that mode of treatment
would do; hut he spoke confidently of
the result, and said that it would not
only cure the disease, but, he believed,
take away the predisposition thereto,
with which Mr.. IL was affected in
q high degree.
The barber came. The head of
H was shaved, and DR.. S an.
piled the blister with his own hands,
which completely covered the scalp
from forehead to occiput.
"Let it remain on for two hours, and
then make use Of the ordinary dress.
ing" said DR.. s.. '.If he should
not recover during the action of the
blister, don't feel uneasy sensibility
will be restored soon after"
l did not call again, but heard from
DIR. s. the result.
After we left, the friends stood
anxiously around the bed upon which
the sick man lay but though the blis-
ter began to draw, no signs of return,
ing consciousness showed themselves,
further than an occasional low moan
Or an uneasy tossing Of the arms. For
full two hours the burning plaster
parched the tender skin of H-'s
shorn head, and was then removed; it
had done good service. Dressings
we're then applied; repeated and re-
peased again; hut still the sick man
lay in deep stupor.
Stlt had done no ono6 . b.dn,, ua