Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1874-07-15
Whole No. 1853.

relatives who had been sent for,
arrived, and urged upon me the
adoption of some more active means
for restoring the sick man to con-
sciousness. One proposed blisters
all over the body; and another
blister on the head / suggested it
might be well to use a stomach
pump.
"Why, doctor?" asked one OF his
friends.
"Perhaps he has taken some
drug" l replied.
"Impossible, 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 2" l ventured the
assertion again.
"No, doctor! No spirits of any
kind, not even wine in the house,"
returned Mrs. Harris in an offended
tone.
was not the regular family
physician, and had been called to
meet the alarming emergency, be-
cause my house happened to be
nearest to the dwelling of Mr..
Harris. Feeling my position to be
difficult one, suggested that the
family physicisn had better be
called.
"But the delay" urged the
friends.
"No harm will result from it, be
assured" / replied.
But my words did not assure
them. However as l was firm in
my resolution not to do anything
more for the patient until DR.. Solly
came, they had to submit. wished
to make a call of Importance in the
neighborhood, and proposed going
to be back by the time DR.. Solly
arrived, but the friends of the sick
man would not suffer me to leave
the room. 0
When DR.. Solly came, we con-
versed aside a few moments, and /
gave my views of the case, and
stated what l had done and why l
had done it. We had proceeded to
the bedside of the patient. There
was still no sign of approaching
consciousness.
Don't you think his head ought
TO be shaved and blistered Z" asked
the wife anxiously.
DR.. Solly thought moment and
then said, "Yes, by all means. Send
for barber; and also for fresh
fly blister, four inches by nine.
I looked in the face of DR.. Solly
with surprise. 1t was perfectly
grave and earnest. / hinted to him
my doubts of the good that treat
ment would do ; but he spoke con-
fidently of the result, and said that
it would not only cure the disease,
but he believed take away the pre-
disposition thereto, with which Mr..
Harris was afflicted in a high de-
gree.
The head of Mr.. Harris was shaw
ed and DR.. Solly applied the blister
with his own hand, and which COM
pletely covered the scalp from fore
head to occiput.
"Let it remain on for two hours,
and then make use of the ordinary
dressing" said DR.. Solly. eff he
does not recover during the action
of the blisters, don't feel uneasy.
Sensibility will be restored soon
after"
l did not call again but heard
from DR.. Solly the result.
After we left, the friends stood
anxiously around the bedside upon
which the sick man lay; bnt
though the blisters began to draw.
no signs of returning to conscious
ness showed themselves further
than a low moan, or an uneasy toss
ing of the arms. For full two
hours the burning plaster parched
the tender skin of Mr.. Harris,
shorn head and was then removed.
1t had done good service. Dress
ings were then applied, repeated
and repeated again, but still the
sick man lay in deep stupor.
ait has done no good. Hadn't
we better send for the doctor ?"
suggested the wife.
Just then the eyes of Mr.. Harris
opened, and he looked with half
stupid surprise upon the faces of
the anxious group that surrounded
the bed.
"What is the matterl' he at
length said. At the same time
feeling strange sensation about