Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-11-10
A REALLY GOOD CASE.

Every one knows that st. Michael's,
as we shall take the liberty of calling it,
is the largest and most celebrated of the
London hospitals. 1t is situated quite
in the heart of the city, and is about
equidistant from London Bridge, West
minister, Cover street, Smithfield, and
Whitechapel. L was student there,
and there the happiest days OF my life
wese passed. And now to my story.
II large number of the students had
gone down for the short Christmas vaca-
ton, and | should have gone also, but
was just then ''dresser" to Carver
Smith, and could not leave town; more
over, it was my week of residence. /
must beg you to remem Der, what is per-
haps but little understood by the gener-
al public, that a large part of the watch
ing and care, and a certain proportion
also of the treatment of hospital pationts,
devolve upon assistants selected from
the senior students. Some of the less
important appointments, such as the
dresserships, are held by every stu
dent in turn; but the more responsible
offices, some of which require twelve
months residence i'll the hospital, can
only be gained by few men each year;
and for these appointments, which are
esteemed positions of great trust, and
honor, and which are exceedingly valua-
BILE as stepping-stones to professional
success, there is very keen competition.
On the surgical side of the hospital, each
OF the four visiting surgeons had resi-
dent house-surgeon; and to be Sir Car
yer Smiths "H. S" was one of the
highest ambitions of est. Nike" for
Sir Carver was at that time of the lead
ing English surgeons.
A man named George Adams held the
post at this time; and as he is the hero
of my story, SO far as | have a hero, [
will just say word about him. He
was one OF those men that we occasional
ly meet with, who seem to stand head
and shoulders above their fellows-very
quiet and reserved, and when he choose,
quite inscrutable. No one knew where
hecamefrom. But his very great ability,
his calmness In all emergencies-I never
saw him discomposed but once-his ma
ture Judgment, and his great kindness,
won him the respect alike of the stu
dents, the nursing staff and the sur
geons. Under him were four dressers.
junior-men, who assisted in the hospital
under his direction. [ was one of them.
Each week one Of us III turn resided in
the hospital; and, as [ said, Christmas
week fell to my turn, and that is how I
came to spend Christmas in st. Michael's.
l ought to add that there were four as
slstant surgeons to the hospital: but
their care was over the out-patient de-
partment, and it was only III the absence
OF the visiting surgeons that they had
any duty in the wards.
Well, it was Christmas night, and our
work for the day was done, except some
late visits to the wards by-and-by: and
Of course any casualties that might turn
up. But Christmas day is unusually
pretty slack In that respect. It is medi-
cal, instead of surgical casualties that
Christmas day produces. We got up, in
honor of the day, little entertainments
III al empty ward, for any OF the hospi-
tai inmates who cared to attend and
were able to do SO.
We had a famous programme. One or
two OF our residents could play and sing
well; another had curious facility in
whistling to the piano; another was an
amateur ventriloquist and prestidioita-
teur; and / fancy there was also some
Rotations and tableaux to come off.
Also, there was one of the patients, an
old sailor, who could sing, in a grand,
rich stentorian baritone and bring down
the house. Our chairman-Ada1ns of
course-had just begun, and was deliv-
ing himself in a semi-serious way of
some very eloquent remarks, amidst
great applause nothing pleases the
lower classes better than few oratorical
hourishes-when "tinkle, tinkle. tinkle.
tinkle," went small, high-pitched, i'm
perions bell. It was the accident bell!
Oh, we lay mortals, We little know how
the social and domestic lows of medical
man are at the mercy of a bell. We in
vlte our friends to tea, we welcome them,
and anticipate pleasant evening, and
there goes the bell We come home tired
and wet, change boots for slippers, and
get comfortable by the Preside, and
there goes the bell! We turn into bed
on cold night, and just get warm and
snug when-there goes the bell! Ny
ben-experiences began that night at ST.
Mlchael's, and shall not soon forget it,
1t was Sir Carver's ''taking-in week."
and his assistants had to attend to the
accidents. Adams nodded to me; and
off went to investigate, knowing that it
might be anything from a cut finger to
railway smash. [ found scene of con-
siderable excitement in the accident
room. wopolicemen, aided by cross
1ng-sweeper and cabman, had Just
brought III patient, and some other
spectators had pushed their way in out
of curiosity.
"Just happened outside, sir; knocked
down by runaway cab, sir
"Lost lot of blood; 'fraid it's bad
case, sir" Thus the policemen.
Ask Mr.. Adams to come down at
once; and clear the room," said.
1t was young, fair-haired girl of eigh-
teen or nineteen, perfectly pale, uncon-
scious, and almost puIseless,-a strange
contrast to her rough, swarthy, weather
beaten bearers. A deep wound in the