The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1877-02-15

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A terrible sdspfcion was creeping over
me- was d1dne, miles away from aid or
rescue, with . madftiail. -
"sAhr he continued feHeetively,
your husband may have mistaken I
tumor for = canter. Allow me to feel
your pulse he said, rising and bending
over me.
II thought 1t best to humor him.. re-
membering It was unwise for helpless
woman to 0ppofe the IS yet harmless
freak of lunatic. He took out his
watch, shook his head gfavely, laid my
hand down gently, then went toward the
study, where, on the table, was an open
case Of sdfgiCal instruments.
Do not be ALARMED, Madame. he
said to me as ] was about TO flse AND hee,
and in another instant he was by my side,
with the case in his possession. @
Involuntarily l raised my hand and
cried: a4ss n
".spare mel Oh, spare me, beseech
your 81
:" Madame he said sternly, clssping
nv wrist with his long sinewy fingers,
with grip Of steel, you behave Ike 9
child. I have no time to parley, for l
have received letter from the Emperor
of the French stating that he Is suffering
from an lilac abscess, and is dcsirous OF
nv attendance. must start for Europe
Immediately after performing the opera
tion upon your breast;' and, before l
could make the slightest resistance, ne
had me in his arms, and was carrying me
into the study, where there was long
table with green baize. On this ne laid
me, and, holding me down with ole hand
forth from some hidden recess in his
with the strength of maniac, he brought
gown several long leather straps, with
which he secured me to the table with the
skill of an expert. 1t was but the work
of a moment to unloose my robe and bare
INV bosom. Then, after carefully exam
ining my left breast, he said: ss
"s Madame, your husband has made q
mistake. find no necessity for my in
tended operation .
"At this gave a long g-drawn sigh OF
relief, and prepared to rise. s9.a'
&c. But he continued, / have made
the discovery that your heart Is as large
as that of an oxl Twill remove i 30 that
you may see for yourself, reduce 1t to its
natural size by curious process OF my
own, unknown to the medical science,
and Of which / am the sole discoverer,
and then replace it again.
"He then began to examine the edge of
the cruel knife, on which / closed my
eyes, while every nerve was In percepti.
bic tremor. aesf
WThe mechanism of the heart is like
a watch he resumed; if it goes too fast,
the great blood vessel that supplies the
force must be stopped like the lever Of q
watch. and the works must be cleaned,
and repaired, and regulated. 1t may in
terest you to know that was present at
the post.mortem examination held over
the remains Of the beautiful Louise of
Prussia. Had I been consulted before
her death, would have saved her by
taking out her heart, and removing the
polypi, between which it was wedged like
as If in visej but was called too late.
The King and had little difference; he
was German, I am French trust that
is sufficient explanation ea
"He now bent over me, his long white
beard brushing my face. raised my
eyes beseechingly, trying to think Of some
way to save myself. % sir, give me an
anasthetic, that may not feel the paint
I pleaded.
g. Indeed, indeed, Madame, / would
comply with your wish were you not the
wife Of physician-of askillfulsurgecn.
wish you to note with what ease per-
faEp this diff ffrdsuafd 7of' 'he great savant
whose services he secured, fortunately IN
season.
Gas he said this, he made the final test
of the knife on his thumb. How precious
were the moments now They were fee.
ing all too fast, and yet an eternity seemed
compressed in every one. / never tainted
in my life, and never felt less like
swooning than now, as summoned all
my presence of mind to delay the fearful
moment, fervently praying in the mean
time for my husbands return.
"sDoctor, said /, with assumed compo-
sure, / have the utmost confidence in
your skill--I would not trust my life to
another; but, doctor, you have forgotten
to bring napkin to staunch the blood:
If you will have the goodness to ascend
to my sleeping chamber, at the right OF
the hall, you will find everything yOn
need for that purpose in the bureau -
60 All, Madame,' he said, shaking his
head ssgaciously, y never draw blood
during surgical operation; that is sanoth-
er one of my secrets unknown to the fac
ulty:,
he added with horrible espis0lerie.:
"l'll scarcely mar that whittier skin than
snow, and smooth as monumental ala
baster.' aa fsli.s.4it j
40 Godp I cried, as / felt the cold
steel touch my breast; but with the same
breath came deliverance.
{ "Quick as thought heavy woolen
piano-cover was thrown over the head and
person Of the madman, and bound tightly
around him. As quickly was released,
and the thongs that bound me soon held
the maniac. @ qa
"My husband held me in his arms. He
had noiselessly approached, and, taking
the horror Of my situation at q glance,
had, by the only means at hand, secured
the madman, who was the very patient he
had been summoned 10 attend, but who
had escaped the vigilance Of his keeper
soon after the departure of the messenger,
who had now returned with the doctor in
pursuit of him. As the poor wretch was
being hurried away, he turned to me and
said: Madame, this Is Q plot to rob me
of my reputation. Your husband is en-
.vious of my great skill as surgeon.
Adieul'' l afterward learned that the
man was once an eminent surgeon In Eu-
rope, hut much learning had made him
mad When he bound me to that table
my hair was as black IS raven; when !
| left it, il was as you see it now white as
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