Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1889-09-11
WAS IT A MURDER +?
Horrible Experience Of a Famous
English Surgeon.
why Sir George Mcdonald Once Upon q
Time Gave Up the Practice of His
Profession for Five Years-Dis-
secting Living Man.

Time Gave Up the Practice of His
Profession for Five Years-Dis-
secting a Living Man.
When the Duke of Sutherland was on his
way to Florida last fall he had with him q
medical gentleman who, besides his great
/ knowledge of medicine, was a frst-class
! raconteur. He amused the Dukes party
with many anecdotes of English celebrities.
! says the Atlanta Constitution. One day he
told the following story to explain why Sir
! George Mcdonald, the celebrated surgeon,
! had given up the practice of his profession
! for five years Just when five years practice
! was most valuable TO him.
| when Sir George McDonald,'' he said,
"began his medical career the fates seemed
to smile Oh him. From the time he entered
Edinburgh University he was recognized as
man of genius, and the great eminence 10
which he has raised himself was confident
! ly predicted both by his professors and his
fellow students. He knew that a few years
after he graduated professors chair
would be waiting for him, and in the still
| more distant future were visions Of wealth
and honor incalculable. Suddenly it was
reported through Edinburgh that Mcdonald,
the promising young surgeon, was suffer
ng from nervous prostration, and then the
news followed that he had thrown aside his
brilliant career and would practice the pro
fession no more. The news was true One
night Mcdonald went home an enthusiastic
surgeon, and when next seen he was evil
IDENTIFY born down by some great secret
grief, and the mention of a surgical opera
ton seemed to fill him with horror He
went abroad and for five years he remained
wanderer without occupation Then he
was persuaded to return to Edinburgh aud
resume his profession
zone afternoon as DIR. Mcdonald was
leaving the lecture hall of the university he
was approached by well known purveyor
OF subjects and told that a man had died
suddenly the day before of what was sup
posed to be heart disease, aud for a certain
consideration the body might be obtained
After a few minutes conversation Nc
Donald walked on and the purveyor hurried
on to attend 10 his CHASTITY business.
THAT night just as the moon was rising
over the top of the Edinburgh houses, an
apparently empty wagon, with two men on
the seat, drove up to DIR. McDonald's house
After careful look about one of the men
gave low whistle, and almost Immediately
window on the ground floor was opened
Against this window the wagon was backed,
oh0 0hO bWO H1Cn IlJCu d long, ledVY
object, wrapped in a sheet, and passed it
into the house. The sound of money chang.
ing hands followed then the window was
closed and the wagon was driven hastily
away.
in lifting the heavy bundle the wrap.
pings had been disturbed, and when Dr.
Mcdonald turned from closing the window
the moonlight was shining on the pallid
face of corpse. Quickly he lit a number
OF lights and then drew heavy curtain
From one side of the room he pushed long
table, on which were dark stains, showing
that it had been used many times before
On this he lifted his purchase and carefully
examined it. 1t was the body Of a man
in the prime Of life, and except
that rigor mortis had set in,
and that every joint was like a bar
Of iron, the man looked as though he were
asleep. There were no signs of wasting dis
ease His face was full, and, except for
it's CHASTITY pallor, looked as it did in life.
It was evident the man had died suddenly,
and heart disease was the DOCTORS speciality.
| From chest Mcdonald brought his instru-
| ments and glasses, his little basins and
| spongeS, and laid them out in order by the
! side of the corpse. The subject died of
| heart disease, aud so the heart was the part
| to be examined. just as the knife touched
! the mans breast DR.. Mcdonald sprang back
with a startled look. Was it possible that
| the eyelids had quiveredl No; it was only
| some passing draft which had made the
light flicker over the dead face, but still he
would make sure. There was no pulse,
every thing proved the man was dead be-
yond peradventure. Then he proceeded
with his dissection. Slowly and carefully
he removed the outer skin. Then two ribs
and part of the breast bone were taken
out and laid aside. At last the diseased
heart, which had been the cause of death,
lay revealed. All this had taken time and
the doctor was hungry. He put his instru-
ments aside and from closet produced a
lunch which he ate, throwing occasional
chances at the body on the table, When he
had finished he resumed his work The
heart to be properly examined must be re-
moved, and this he proceeded to do. He cut
round the great organ of life and was
aooul to take it from the body when he
CHANGED to look up. Then slowly and as il
every movement was physical torture he
Strengthened himself. The hair on his head
began to rise and his eyes were rlveted on the
face Of the subject The last time he noticed
that face the eyes were closed, and 1t was
tho expressionless face of the dead; now
all was changed. The eyes were open and
were glaring at him with hOrrld express
sion OF reproach. At the same instant the
body on the table rose slowly to a sitting
posture, and the perfect stiffness of the
room seemed broken by single Whispered
word, murderer With his eyes glued Il
the mutilated form DIR. Mcdonald staggered
back until he felt the wall behind him anC
could retreat no further. For full two sec
onds those eyes glared at the doctor, an6
the air seemed to resound with that aWfu
accusation. In that time he realized thai
the man never had been dead, and haC
known aud felt every event Of that horrible
night Then the mutiated body fell back
Shrek after shrek filed the house. The
sleeping family, awakened by this dreadful
noise, rushed down. They found DR.. Nc
Donald just outside his Office door, with hi:
arms stretched cut, barring the passage
Don't 90 In! DON'T go inn ne shrieked
and then fell insensible. Before daylight
the same two men backed their Wagon
against the DOCTORS window, and the bun
die, wrapped in sheet, was passed out Il
them, but Dr. Mcdonald was delirious up
stairs"
|
Re1v signal of DietreGa