The Red Cloud chief., 1880-12-16

uau mel Win An auu u2a
taken one of the assistant-surgeons
with him. The second was out Of
town; and the third. who hsd been left
to act in emergencies, had been taken
suddenly III.
We had been discussing the case,
and offering advice upon h with all that
calm assurance which characterixcs
embryo surgeons. But matters nov
became serious Half an hour would
suffice 10 summon q Of the other sur
geons; but il vas plain that something
must be done NJ ones. We all looked
as Adams, who had said very little hith-
erto, but had gone on making every
thing ready. He simply said: Begin
TO give chloroform; ] am going to OPP
crate"
"What are you going to dog" we
asked
He told us; put I will not infict any
details upon ms readers. but Will simply
say that the sharp end OF q broken SHAFT
had made a narrow deep cash In the
root of the neck. and had wounded q
large artery. The operation coniem-
plated afforded almost the only chance
Of life; and to delay il any longer would,
Adams said, be throwing that chance
away. IL was an operation of the high
est difficulty and danger under the
present condition Of the parts; and
could its performance have been sntici-
pated the theater would have been
crowded with spectators from all the
hospitals in London. And here was a
Young surgeon Of twenty-five. called
upon at a few minutes notice, TO un-
dertake what many a long-cxperienced
surgeon might hesitate to attempt;
for it was impossible to perform il
without much additional loss of blood;
and It was not a; all improbable that the
patient might not survive the operation.
TO say nothing of aiter-dangers.
Adams carefully explained TO the
other house-surgeOns what assistance
they would have 10 give him; and when
the patient wa ready. commenced at
once. Perfect silence reigned. broken
only at intervals by = word from the
operator; but, indeed, he had little need
To speak, for we were well drilled at st.
Michaers, and everything he needed
was put into his hand almost before he
ssked for it. 1 think / can still see that
quiet, eager group of young men under
the brilliant gaslight. standing around
the pallid- slumbering, unconscious girl;
and in the center the young surgeon,
cool. collected. with steady hand, with
out hurry, without hesitation, doing his
work. / have witnessed many of the
most brilliant operators in England, and
of course have seen Adams himself
many times in that theatcr in later
years; but / think / never saw that
nights operation surpassed either by
himself or by any one else. A special
demand sometimes calls forth special
powers and acts almost like an inspira-
ton; and so it seemed now.
In a short time it was done. and sue
cessfully done; and the patient was
carried away to- a quiet ward, where
she was duly cared for by the nurse in
charge, Adams and Sir Carver Smith,
who came later on. / think Adams
stayed up all night.
Our miscellaneous entertainment did
not come off; but we scarcely regretted
the change of programme. In a place
where accidents are hourly, and opera
tons daily, occurrences, n more or
less seldom creates much excitement;
and when | 60 on to say that this ease
excited more interest among residents
and non-residents than almost any 9TH
er case l ever saw in the hospital. |
wish you clearly to understand that this
fact was due entirely to the extreme
professional interest of the case, and
the great enthusiasm of st. Michael's
men for the study of surgery. At the
same time l may state. although not
particularly bearing on the question,
that the patient was an uncOmmonlv
pretty girl; and day after day passed by
without any light being shed on the
question as to who she was and whence
she Observation-Disclosures quite sufi-
cient to excite in a mind not preoccu-
pied with such matters al burden the
intellect of the average medical student,
the liveliest interest and curiosity.
After the operation, she was at first
too i'll to be interrogated; and when she
got a little better she declined to give
any information; at any rate none could
be obtained from her. Perhaps she
was a little :" queer" with feverish or
~hysterical excitement.
At the expiration of two days l went
in to help with the dressings. She was
very grateful for everything done for
her, and bore her pain very well. For
a long time she was in q very critical
state. As the euphonious phrase of the
Young profession went, "She had a very
close shave for it," Attic 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 ease. He had
hitherto said nothing on the subject of
| the operation. He was q man of few
words; but one word of praise or blame
from him was never forgotten by any Of
us. Turning to us from the patient
he said: "This, gentlemen. is a case
of so-and-so;" and he briefly explained
it. Then he added: Nothing but the
most exceptional circumstances could
Justify a house surgeon in this hospital
in undertaking an operation of such i'm
portance. In this case those exception
| al circumstances existed. The opera
ton is one of great difficulty and rarity.
i 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 gratiica.
ton to myself of having performed the
first successful operation would moi
have been greater than is my gratifca.
ton now at having under my care 8
case which will, 1 believe,.recOver. and
whose recovery win be due without
doubt to the prompt and skillful action
of a St. Michael's student, my OWL
house-surgeon, Mr.. Adams"
"Strong for Carvy. and good fol
Adams" was 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 . word
from Carver Smith.
And now. nv fair readers, if you viii
turn to the clinical report of this cele.
brated case in the pages of the Lancet,
somewhere about March 49,. you will
find it stated that latter this point the
case presents no features of special in.
terest; convalescence was rapid, and
the patient was discharged cured on
the forty-seventh day after admission"
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