The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1880-11-05

cient To excite in a mind not pre0ccu-
pied with such matters as burden the
intellect OF the average medical student.
the liyeliest interest and curiosity.
After the operation. she was at first
too i'll 10 be i~nterrogated, and when she
got a little better she declined 10 give
any information, al n rate none could
be obtained from her. Perhaps she
was a little queer with feyerish or
historical excitement.
Al the expiration Of two days | went
in 10 help with the dressings. She was
very grateful for everything done for
her, and bore her pain very well. For
a long time she wa in a very critical
state. As the cuphonious phrase Of the
young profession went. ..She had a very
close shave for it, AT the end Of three
weeks. however. she was in fairly
smooth-water; and for the first time
some OF the clinical class went in with
Sir Carver TO see the case. He had
hitherto said nothing on the subject Of
the operation. He was a man Of few
words; but one word OF praise or blame
from him was never forgotten by any of
Us. Turning 10 us from the patient
lit -1lA HIS ktlllTIltn. - n tI<t
Of so-and-so;'' and he briefly explained
il. Then he added: Nothing but the
most exceptional circumstances could
justify a house-surgeo ia this hospital
in undertaking an operation Of such inn
~portance. In this ease those exception
al circumstances existed. The opera
ton is one OF great difficulty and rarity.
| have once, many years ago, per-
formed it myself. and the patient died
Had my patient recovered. such a re-
covery would then. l believe, have been
without precedent. But the gratifica-
ton to myself Of having performed the
first successful operation would not
have been greater than is my gratifca-
ton now at having under nv care a
case which will. l believe. recover and
whose recovery will be due without
doubt 70 the prompt and skillful action
Of a St. Michaers student, my own
h-ouse-surgeon. Mr.. Adams"
Strong for Carvy. and good for
Adams" wa the general comment.
Adams pretended to be writing notes:
but there was not one Of us who would
not readily have suffered ..plowing'' in
our :. final college to gain such a word
from Carver Smith.
And now. my fair readers. il you will
turn 10 the clinical report Of this cele-
brated case in the pages Of the Lancet.
somewhere about March IS. you will
find il stated that latter this point the
case presents no features OF special in
t%erest; convalcscence was rapid. and
the patient was discharged cured on
the f~orfy-seyenth day after admission
| therefore give YOU fair notice that you
may lay down this record here and not
read any further. unless YOU like.
Yes: she recovered rapidly; and
prettier and prettier she grew rs she
got better. She talked very little. and
said nothing AZ alto help herindentifica-
ton. Inquiry was fruitless even though
the case got into the newspapers. The
interest among the students increased
daily. 1t was reported that she was an
heiress who had quarreled with her
guardian; that Adams was madly in
love with her: that she was waiting for
him to propose. and then would marry
oil-hand; that Adams knew all about her.
but kept il snug. And the men got to
chatting him in a mild sort OF way. want
ing 10 know the estate Of the heart and
the chances Of .'union BY first Intention
But Adams was impenetrable. Person
ally. | am inclined to think that what
ever the condition Of his patients heart
might be. Ne was little affected in that
region. She was evidently very fond
of him. and liked no one but him TO
dress the wound. Still the mystery
increased.
AT last one afternoon ] was sitting in
Adams room in leisure interval. when
a lady's card was brought in. II had a
deep black border. and bore the in
scription: Mis- STEAD, The Ccddrs."
She wished to see Mr.. Adams. Inn
mediatcly afterwards. the lady was
shown in. Adams motioned me to stay
She was a fine. tall woman Of fifty.
dressed in deep mourning. with hair
turning gray. a firm mouth. soft, keen
gray eyes, and a face combining in
tellect and kindness.
.'Have | the pleasure Of speaking to
Mr.. Adams?r she said. He bowed
She then produced a paper which gave
an account of our famous case and Of
the part Adams had played in it.
MAY / inquire whether this patient
is still in the hospital? Can see her.
"Yes. certainly. Would he lady be
able TO identify her? Would it not be
better for the patient 10 see the card
first. TO avoid sudden excitement; that
i. il the lady's visit were likely to cause
excitement?'
perhaps il would be better to take
up the card. and say that Mrs. Stead
desired to see her"
Wonderfully calm and self-possessed
the lady seemed to us; and yet she
could not entirely suppress some signs
Of emotion or excitement. She said
that illness In her family had prevented
her from seeing the papers for some
time. or she would probably have been
here before.
--l~ sl.- -~-l - .rI nIr.-nI ~ ~.