The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1882-11-11
A Surgical Marvel.

There appeared in the rotunda of the
Windsor Hotel last evening q gentleman
who attracted no little attention and
comment. Not that he was odd in
makeup or eccentric in demeanor, but
because he bore upon his forehead the
ghastly mark OF a miraculous escape
from death. Everybody who noticed
the long red line looked second and
third time, and looking suggested that
the man had something interesting in
his history. An inquiry at the desk re-
vealed the fact that be was New York
journalist. the editor OF the Gnstrono-
mist, and that his name was John j.
Kempster. Upon solicitation Mr., Kemp
ster told reporter the story of the
wound.
1t occurred while he was duck-shoot-
ing in New jersey on the 23d of Sep
TENDER, 1880 Said Mr.. Kempster: ~
wandered into the marshes about a
mile and a half from the little village,
and finally obtained a good shot ut o
flock of ducks who were swimming in
shallow slough. fred, and that was the
last | remembered for some time.
When / recovered consciousness was
lying fat on my bac.t. the sun beating
down on me. / knew that WAS wound
ed, but for many IN mites could not i'm
agine where the injury was. Better
sense came to ME slowly and with it
strength. l felt something tr.ckling
down my forehead AMI putting up my
hand touched thin coating that proved
to be mingled ooa and brains.
Then / appreciated that the gun
had exploded or discharged itself
through that bieech and something had
penetrated my forehead. raised my
hand a second time, and felt the smaller
end of a breech-pin protrudng from my
head. | Immediately thought all was
up and commenced to make my peace
with God in prayer | grew stronger
and more conscious OF M condition,
however. ard, in the hope of securing
surgical aid that might save my lie, [
struggled to my feef. A heaviness, as
if my brain cavity wa, loaded with lead,
was all that suffered. Everything APP
peared natural TO ne; the trees, the
shrubberv and the marshes. and even
the path had taken wa, d'stinet to my
mind. was even thonghtful enough
to pick up the broken gun and examine
it. The stock was separated from the
barrels-imhedded in ing brain was the
absent breech-pin.
II walked back to the village. 1t
seemed an age before got there, the
invisible weight on my head bending
me to tho ground | never rested,
though, but Kept on. with only vague
hope for lie encouraging me. When |
arrived at the hotel where | was stop
ping, the people seeing me fled as if a
ghost We're approaching through the
daylight. When tod The clerk 10 go
for surgeon he stood as if palsied. |
grew mad and shouted at him to find
surgeon or l would die, and then |
fell to the floor speeches.. Twas again
unconscious until the operation had
been performed and the iron pin
was taken from off my brain. 1t was a
bungling piece of work, two country
| physicians, who knew as much about
( surgery as | do o. Choctaw, hacking
and bewing, and saving my head until
/ they had opened it. as you can see, more
! than two and half inches. Then
was put on the train and sent to New
York. Untilunconsciousness came tony
relief again was in the most terrible
agony, my brain aching as though a
thousand daggers were PIERCING il. /
remember being placed in tie hospital
ambulance; the remarks Of bystanders
that could not live; the jolting noise
through the streets; the ringing of the
ambulance bell. which sounded like a
death-knell to me; and after that all
was blank. it was several days before
came to, and SO well I recollect the first
query made to the doctor: Was there
any probability that my life would be
saved.' Four months afteTward | was
once more at the desk grinding away as
if my brains were intact"
Where the breech-pin entered Mr..
Kempster's head, there is a space of
about half-inch in diameter where the
cuticle touches the brain and moves
with each puisa3ion of the organ. A
cutting of the skin would expose the
brain. -Dsnrsr iCol.) Tribune.