The National tribune., 1888-07-19
Mrs SIpnoft,s Yay.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: You viii re-
member | sent you a story of man on board
the John J. Roe, whose ankle was out Of joint
and the Surgeon did not know it. Well, l
have heard from that man. He lives in Penn
sylvania He says it was my evidence on
that case that he needed to enable him to get
his pension. He says he is a poor man and
needs his pension. hope he may get it.
And now | will give you another short story.
Perhaps | shall hear from this:
While on board the steamer Imperial, COM
ing down from Pittsburg Landing overheard
the Surgeon in charge one day say Put him
in Mrs. Sinnott's ward u; then some one made
a reply which / did not hear when the Sur
geOn answered: " Yes she will she takes good
care OF her boys" | hurried out to see what
wanted, and saw two men bringing
young mau on a stretcher. In & moment had
ii cot ready, upon which they laid him, per-
fectly exhausted / asked the Surgeon what
Was the matter with him? He said he had
cut of the forefnger Of his right hand cutting
brush when on picket duty, and had taken
cold IN 1t, and now his whole arm was affected,
and lie would be obliged to take it off at the
shoulder, and told me to give him the best the
boat afforded, and put hot faxseed p0ultice
on the arm. On examining the arm | found
it swollen as full as the skin could hold with
out bursting, and deep red from intlamma-
ton from the shoulder to the tips of the fingers.
The back Of the hand had been lanced in two
places. He was very weak and | gave him
some wine and beef tea. l made the 1axseed
poultce and spread it on a cloth, and then,
with basin of tepid water and sponge, | went
to work rubbing the arm down from the
shoulder and as / rubbed the arm above the
elbow the matter would run from the orfces
in the hand. When he began to feel faint
gave him more wine and put on the poutice
which had become cold, aud, as it was cold,
in r0ld wet nd i'm cold mo fa-
to drink. / think this was after dinner, and
was called to tighten the bandage twice before
evening, wettlng the arm about once an hour
and always giving him water to drink. | went
through the same process in the evening rub
bing from the shoulder. The arm had become
pink color, and the swelling had perceptibly
diminished. gave orders to the night-watch
TO keep it wet with cold water and give him
all the water he wanted. In the morning the
arm was spotted pale pink aud white, and the
swelling had lessened very much. l said moth
ing 70 the Surgeon about him.. as | felt sure
could save the young man his right arm.
worked faithfully all that day, and gave the
night-watch the same directions as before and
on the second morning the inflammation and
swelling were entirely gone, except place on
the inside of the wrist about the size of a so
cent piece. After washing the arm clean l
went into the cabin and asked the Surgeon if
he was ready to take off that arm. He started
up hastily and said Yes; l meant to have
done it yesterday, but forgot it." He inquired
if he was still alive, and | told him he was.
When he went out to where the young man
was sitting up. leaning against the cabin my
ward on the guards), and saw the arm
lying on the olcloth, white and soft, it is the
truth to say he was astonished. He asked me
what had done to it. L replied L put on
cold poultices and kept it wet with cold water,
aud gave him all the water he wanted" Said
he, the devil you did," and told the young
man it would not be necessary to take his arm
oil. The Surgeon went into the cabin, and |
heard him say: Bixby. as sure as you live.
Mrs. Sinnott has saved that boys arm, and l
think his life."-MRs. r. II. SINNoTT, Liberty
Center, Iowa.