, 1874-02-18
POOR r HARRIS.

Vi E6SOOuo1IAAAhJt WhOpO WHS' ~NJ
ligence and refinement, had discovered him
in his room lying s~enseless upon the floor,
On arriving at the house, | found Mrs. Harris
in great distress of mind.
What is the matter with Mr.. Harris :"
I,asked on meeting his lady, who was in tears,
and looking the picture of distress.
Pm afraid it is apoplexy," she replied.
81 found him lying upon the floor, where he
had, to all appearance. fallen suddenly from
his chair. His face is purple, and though he
b~reathes, it is with great difficulty"
| went up to see my patient. He had been
lifted from the floor, and was lying upon the
bed. Sure enough, his face was purple, and
breathing ~labore1; but somehow the symp-
toms did not indicate apoplexy. Every vein
in his head and face was filed, and he lay
perfectly stupid; but still l saw no clear in
dication of an actual or approaching congestion
of the brain.
"H4du't he bstter be bled, Doctor ~ asked
the anxious wife.
az don'S know that it is necessary" l re-
piled Ct think if we let him alone it will
pass off in the course Of a few hours
"a few hours he may die in half au hour"
she exclaimed.
"I don't think the case 50 dangerous as
that, madam"
q" Apoplexy not dangerous?"
81 hardly think it apoplexy,' I replied.
"Pray, what do thiuk it is, doctor I"
Mrs. Harris looked anxiously into my face
as she spoke.
I deliberately limited that be might possibly
have been drinking too much brandy; but
this she positively and almost Indignantly OBJ
jected to.
"No, doctor. I ought to know about that
she said. Depend upon it, the case is more
Jncp1, ooo+o1 ~, 1,,ro bo bod hnttar he
bled. Won't you bleed him, doctor A few
ounces Of blood taken from his arm may give
life to the stagnant circulation of the blood
in hi3 veins
Thus urged, I after some reflection, ordered
a bowl and bandage, and opened a vein, from
which the blood flowed freely, and relieved
him of about eight ounces of his circulating
medium. But he still lay insensible as before,
much to the distress of his poor wife.
"Something else must be done, DOCTOR, she
urged, seeing that bleeding had accomplish
ed nothing. eff my husband is not quickly
relieved he must die"
By this time several friends and relatives,
who had been sent for, arrived, and urged
upon me the adoption of some more active
means for restoring the sick man to conscious
ness One proposed bIisters all over the body,
and another a blister on the head another, i'm
mersion in hot water. l suggested that 1t
might be we'll to use a stomach pump.
"Why, doctor - asked one Of his friends.
perhaps he has taken some drug" re.
piled.
"Imposslb1e, DOCTOR" said his wife. "He
has not been from home to-day, and there IS
no drug of any kind in the house"
"No brandy I" | ventured the assertion
again.
mo, doctor No spirits of any kind, not
even vine, in the house" returned Mrs Harris,
in an offended tone.
1 was not the regular family physician, and
had been called in to meet the alarming emer-
genoy, because my house happened to be
nearest to the dwelling of Mr.. Harris. Feel
ing my position to be a difficult one. 1 sugges-
ted that the family physician had better be
called.
But the delay, DOCTOR urged the friends.
"No harm wilI,result from it, be assured"
I replied.
But my words did not assure them. How
aver, as / was firm in my resolution not to do
anything more for the patient unit! DR.. Solly
came, they had to submit. I = wished to make
a call of Importance in the neighborhood, and
proposed going-to be back by the time DR..
Softly arrived; but the friends of the sick man
would not suffer me to leave the room.
When DIR. SOllV came. wa cOnVerSed aside