Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-03-25
A SURGEONS LIFE.
From the q N obiogrsphy of the Late DI
Gross, the Crest Surgeon.
Washington Stal.

From the IN ObiOgrephy of the Late DR.
Gross, the Crest Surgeon.
Washington Stal.
have always held that 1t is impossible
for any man to be great surgeon If he is
destitute, even in an inconsidersble de-
gree, of the finer feelings Of our nature.
| have often lain awake for hours t
night before an important operation, and
suffered great mental distress for days
Af,er 1t was over, until was certain that
my patient was out O. danger. do not
think IL possible fer criminal to feel
much worse the mig t before his execu
ton than surgeon when he knows that
upon his skill and attention must depend
tae fate Of a valuable citizen, husband,
father, mother or child. Surgery under
SUCH circumstances is terrible task
master, ,eeding like vu.ture unon 8
mans vitals. It is surprising that any
surgeon in large practice should ever at
tain 10 respectable old age, so great are
toe wear and tear Of mind and body.
The world has seen many sad picture
will draw one of the surgeon. 1t is
midday; the sun is bright and beautiful;
all nature is redolent of Joy; men and
womenfcrowd the street, arrayed in their
best, and all, apparently, Is peace and
happiness within and without. In large
b ruse, almost oVerhaDgiug this street so
full of life and gayety. lies upon couch
an emaciated figure, once one of the
sweetest and loveliest Of her SIX, con-
fding and sffecGionste wife and the adored
mother of numerous children, the subject
Of frighiful disease of one of her limbs,
or it may be CT her jaw, If not Of still
m 1re important part of her body. In an
adjoining room is the surgeon, with his
assistants, spreading out his instruments
and getting things in readiness for the
impending operation. He assigns to each
his appropriate place. Oae administers
chlorofoTm; another takes charge of the
limb; one screws down the tourni-
quet upon the principsl artery,
another holds himself in readt-
ness to follow the knife with his s1snge.
The flaps are soon formed, the bone sew
cred, the vessels tied, aud the huge wound
appro MINATED. The woman Is pale and
CHASTITY, the pulse b rdly perceptlble, the
skin wet with clamlny perspiretion, the
voice husky, the sight indisunct. Some
one whispers into the ear of the busy
surgeon: "The patient, fear, is dying"
Restoratlves are administered, the pulse
gradually rises, and after few hours OF
hard work and terrible anxiety reaction
occurs. The poor woman was only faint
from the joint influence Il the ana 5thetic,
shock ana loss OF blood. An assistant, a
kind Of sentinel, is plsced as q guard over
her, with instructions to watch her with
the closest care.
The surgeon goes about his business,
visits other patients on the way, and at
length, long after the ususl hour, he sits
down, worried, sno exhausted, to his cold
and comfortless meal, with 8 mouth 81
most as dry and voice as husky as his
PATIENTS. He ea's mechanically, ex
charges hardly word with any member
of his family, and sullenly retIres to his
study to prescribe for his patients
never, during all this time, forgetting the
poor mutilsted object he left few hours
ago He is about to lie down to get
moments repose sitter the severe toll of
the day, when suddenly he hears a loud
ring of the bell, and q servant, breathless
with excitement, begs his immediate
presence at the sick chamber with the ex
clSmation, "They think Mrs. Is
dying" BE hurries to the scene with
rapid pace and anxious feeling. The
stump is Of crimson color and the pa
tient lies in profound swoon. An artery
has suddenly given away, the exhaustion
Is extreme, cordials and stlmulsnts
are at once brought into requisi-
ton, the dressings are removed and the
recussnt vessel is secured.
The vital current Gibbs and flows, re-
action is still more tardy than before, aud
1t is notIuntil 8 late hour of the night that
the surgeon, literally worn out in mind and
body, retires to his home In search of re-
pose. Does he sleepi He tries, but he
cannot close his eyes. His mind is with
his patient; he hears every footstep upon
the pavement below his window, and is in
momentary expectation Of the ringing
OF the night-bell. He is disturbed by the
widest tsncles, he sees the most terrific
objects, and, as he rises early in the
m JrniDg to hasten to his patients cham
Der, he feels that he has been cheated of
the rest Of which he stood so much in
need. Is this picture oyer-drawn7 l
have sat for it thousand times, and there
Is not an educated, conscientious surgeon
that will not certify to its accuracy.