Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-09-01
ETHER'S INFLUENCE
An Old Soldiers Thrilling Experience Un
 der the Surgeon'a Knife

1 An Old Soldiers Thrilling Experience Un.
 der the Surgeons Knife.
 A gentleman recently operated on at a
 private hospital for the removal of the left
 eye, the socket and membrane of which had
 become the seat of cancer, tells the fol- lowing interesting story of his experience ! under the knife to a New York corresDond- | ent:
 ''The doctors agreed that I haa cancer. ! and nothing but an extensive surgical oper-
 atlon could save my life. 1 felt on hearing l their decision, like a condemned murderer 1 as though at a certain day and hour I should 1 look for the last time on earth and encounter 1 the terrible
 l But it will not be painful said the sur i geon, with pleasant smile. You will be l under ether, you know
 1 The operation was to be done three days after the consultation that sealed my fate. How lived through those three days can not tell. l wondered if would have the courage to face the ordeal coolly. I had never before thought myself coward. 1 passed through twelve battles during the late war and never shrank from danger put on! a surgical operation, with all it's calm ana detailed preparation-all it's awful 1 chances-ls quite another thing. To get on a table, lie down and take ether with the KnoWledge that you are about to have the most delicate organ of your body carved out that, indeed, calls for courage. Like the man aoout to be hanged, I felt anxious to have it over - and was greatly afraid I should lose all my grit at the last moment ana make show of myself. Still, there was one comfort-I should feel no pain: ana my nerves felt much strengthened by the reflection, when I compared the surgical operation of the present day with that of htty years ago, when it would have taken SIX strong men to hold me while my eve was being literally gouged out and I was Wrlthlng In agony, conscious of it all.
 :" At last the day of the operation arrived. lay down on the operating table, and the surgeon placed the ether cone over my mouth and nostrils 1 took long, deep in- splrauon of the ether. 1t was cold and tasted good, tmgling slightly as it entered
 my lungs, and causing peculiarly delight ful thrill to pass over me. Alter taking a lew more breaths began to feel in half Vlslonary state. l thought I was in a ball room hHed with the gayest company and was tripping the fantastic to some dreamy waltz with the fairest of the fair Then I could hot resist singing. Noticing the doc tor l0o.l gravely at me, came back at once to the situation.
 'Doctor,' l said, this is delightful - splendid! Just then something seemed to crack inside my head. I could see sparks ot hre flying all about me. Every object in tne room was ln a Whlrl. The doctor and ms attendants seemed to be engaged in a mad dance around me, such as the canni- pals indulge in around their roasting mis- slonary. Then l had most horrible dreams fancled that the doctor was d murderer and that he had made his way into my room in the night by means of an open window. I saw the awful knife glcam in his hands and could feel Ithe cold blade as it descended into my stomach. Then I thought 1 was taken to dissecting room and there carved up III the interest of science. Finally I aWoke, and the surgeon, bending over me, | cautioned me to remain motionless, and at the same time assured me that the operation 1 had been successfully
 The surgeon said: "The operation was for cancer of the eye-ball and socket, and necessarily very delicate undertaking. The patient took ether remarkably well. | As soon as he was unconscious the orbit was removed. The diseased plates of bone | were then carefully sawed away and the | operation completed. It does not seem in telling of it how tedious it was. For three l hours we worked constantly on the patient. Much bleeding took place, and the work was | several times retarded by the need of giv- | lng more ether, as the patient evidently felt | pain occasionally. As to the dreams which | he enjoyed while under ether, they are not unusual. It is a remarkable fact that phy- slcal memory continues while the brain | sleeps or is under an an4sthetic, The op- | eratlon was unattended with single un- | favorable result, and the patient awaits | only the time when the Wounds'shall be per- l tectly healed to have glass eve put into | the socket"