Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1879-08-29
AN INVISIBLE WOUND.

One of the most celebrated practi-
tioners of Pesth, DIR. K, was called
upon one morning to receive at an early
hour a visitor in great haste, who.
while waiting in the antechamber, sent
in word by the footman that DELAY for
him was danger. He must be received
Immediately.
The doctor threw on his dressing
gown hastily and had his patient shown
in. -
He found himself in the presence of a
man utterly unknown to him, but who,
to1udge by his dress and manners, evil
IDENTIFY belonged to the best society.
His pale face bore traces of great physi-
cal and moral suffering. He carried
his right hand in sling, and in spite
OF his efforts to restrain himself from
time to time stined sigh escaped him.
seeing the poor man stagger the doctor
invited him to sit down.
am tired. | have not slept for a
week. There is something the matter
with my right hand-I do not know
what. Is it carbuncleP Is it cancerp
AT hrst the suffering was slight, but now
IL Is burning, horrible, continual pain,
increasing in intensity day by day. [
can bear it no longer. Jumped into
my carriage and here am. | have
come to beg you to cauterize It, or TO
cut out the painful part, for one more
hour OF this dreadful torture would drive
me to perditionr'
The doctor took magnifying glass.
examined, and shook his head
" The skin is full of life. The blood
clrculates very regularly. Underneath
there is neither Inflammation nor can
Ger 1t is as healthy as any other part
of your body" r'
g And yet it seems to me that If il
rather more red there than elsewhere j.
"WhereP"
Inc stranger took pencil from his
pocketbook and traced on his hand a
circle as large as a ten-cent bit. with
the remark: "Just there.n
The doctor looked. He began to
thlnk that his patient was crazy. IRE.
main here" he said, 'in a few davs +
VIII cureyou." The doctor saw to his as
tonlshment that his strange visitor smoke
seriously. He took off his coat, turned
up his sleeves and took a bistourv in
MS lett hand. A second more and the
in the flesh. ''i0n
"Stop" cried the doctor. who was
afraid that his patient THROUGH nnskiiI'
fulness might open some imnortant
vein. "Since you Judge The onerat;nn ton
indispensable, so be it.T
ne took the bistoury, and holding
III ms leII hahd the right hand of the
Pauent he begged him to turn away his
LLeau' Le' some people not being able to
pear the sight of their own blood.
=. 1t is unnecessary! On the contrary,
IL is who will indicate how deep down
you must cut"
In tact he watched the operation to
the end with the greatest possible com
Posure, indicating how far it was to 90.
Ihe open hand did not even trembIe in
the DOCTORS hand, and when the little
piece OF round flesh was cut out he
heaved deep sigh, like one who ex-
periences feeling of immense relief.
Inc stranger looked with delight at
the steaming blood. The doctor was
oDllged to insist upon dressing the
wound '--0
While he was binding it up the pa
uents face changed completely. The
expression of pain passed away; he
smiled on the doctor with a look full of
good-humor, and there was no longer
any contraction of the features, anv
look OF despair. He seemed to have
taken a new lease of life. His brow
cleared; the color returned to his face;
his whole person underwent a visible
transformation.
When his hand was replaced in the
sing he made use of the one that re-
NAMED free to shake the Doctors hand
warmly, saying to him with cordiality:
" accept my most sincere thanks. You
have positively cured me. The small
remuneration that | offer you is in no
wise proportioned TO the service you
have rendered me. During the rest of
my life will try by what means | can
TO discharge my obligation"
The doctor informed several of his
colleagues of this singular case and
each formed different opinion ON the |
subject without, however, any of them
being able TO give a plausible explana-
tlon. Toward the end of a month DIR. |
N. received letter dated from his pa
TENTS residence. He opened it. 1t
was closely written and he saw by The
signature that his patient had written
IL with his own hand, from which hb
concluded that the pain had not rel
turned, for If it had he could hardly
have held pen.