Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1889-08-03
Death Under the ScaInaI.

4 MS way to Florida last fall he had with
him a medical gentleman, who, besides
his great knowledge Of medicine, was q
nrst class %reconteur. He amused the
dukes party with many anecdotes of
English celebrities. One day he told the
following story to explain why Sir George
Mcdonald, the celebrated surgeon, had
given up the practice Of his profession
Tor hve years, just when five years prac.
tlce was most valuable TO him.
when Sir George Mcdonald" he
said, began his medical career the fates
seemed to smile On him. From the time
he entered Edinburg university he was
recognized as a man of genius, and the
great eminence 10 which he has raised
himself was confidently predicted both
by his professors and his fellow students.
lie knew that a few years after he grad
uated a professors chair could be wait
ing for him, and in the still more distant
future were visions OF wealth and honors
lDcalculable. Suddenly it was reported
through Edinburg that Mcdonald, the
promising young surgeon, was suffering
from nervous prostration, and then the
news followed that he had thrown aside
hHp alt dllQ WOulu DIACllCG
his profession no more. The news was
true. One night Mcdonald went acme
an enthusiastic surgeon, and when next
seen he was evidently borne down by
some great secret grief, and the very
mention of a surgical operation seemed
to I'LL him with horror. He went abroad
and for five years he remained a wan.
derer without occupation. Then he was
persuaded to resume his profession.
In the days when the present Sir
George was plain DR.. Mcdonald science
had not taken the immense strides which
it mas since. The seekers after great
truths were still grouping in darkness. |
Vlvlsectlon was then practically un-
known, and the only means medical men
mad OF throwing light on mysterious
deaths was by dissection. The bodies of
the unfortunates who died in prison. or
IN the public wards of the hospitals. |
were the only ones legally obtainable,
and as these were far too few to supply
the demand, grave robbing was resorted
to and big prices were paid by surgeons
n medical students for dead bodies.
'One afternoon, as DR.. Mcdonald was
eavlng the lecture room of the university,
he was approached by a well known
purveyOr OF subjects and told that a man
had died suddenly the day before of what
was supposed to be heart disease. and
for a certain consideration the BODY
might be obtained. After a few minutes
conversation Mcdonald walked on and
the purveyoT hurried off.
"Thst night as the moon was rising
the tops of Edinburgh houses, an
apparently empty wagon, with two men
the seat, drove up 10 DR.. McDonald's
house. After q careful look about one
the men gave a low whistle, and al
most Immediately a window on the
ground floor was opend. Against this
window the wagon was backed, and the
two men lifted a long, heavy object,
wrapped in a sheet, and passed il into
the house. The sound Of money chang
ing hands followed then the window was
closed and the wagon drove away.
I'm lifting the heavy bundle the wrap
pings had been disturbed, and when Dr..
Mcdonald turned from closing the win
dow il the moonlight was shining on the
placid Sace of the corpse. Quickly he
lit a T.nber of lights and then drew a
heavy turtain. From one side of IT,
roon. le pushed a long table, on which
were dark stains, showing that it had
been used many times before. On this
he lifted his purchase and carefully ex-
amined il. 1t was the body of a man in
the prime of life and except that rigor
m0r',s hal set in, and that every Joint
wa- lie d bar Of iron, the man looked as
he were asleep. There was no
sign of wasting disease. His face was
full and except for it's CHASTITY pallor
looked as it did in life. 1t was evident
that the man had died suddenly and heart
was the doctors specially. From
a chest Mcdonald brought his instru-
ments and glasses, his little basins and
spoDges and laid them out in order by
the side Of the corpse. The subject died
of heart disease and 60 the heart was the
part TO be examined.
Just as his knife touched the mans
breast DR.. Mcdonald sprang back with a
startled look. Was it possible that the
eyelids had quivered? No; IL was only
pasFng draught which had made
the light flicker over the dead face, but
still he would make sure. There was no
pulse, everything proved the man was
dead beyond peradventure. Then he
proceeded with his dissection. Slowly
and carefully he removed the outer skin.
Then two ribs and a 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 instruments aside,
and from a closet produced a lunch which
he ate, throwing occasional glances at
the body on the table. When he had
finished he resumed his work. The
heart had to be properly examined must
be removed, and this he proceeded to do.
lie cut around the great organ Of life,
and was about TO take it from the body
when he CHANGED to look up. Then,
slowly, and as If every movement was a
physical torture, he Strengthened him
self. The hair on his head began to
rise and his eyes were riveted on
the face OF the subject. The last
time he noticed the eyes closed, and it
was the exp~resslonless face of the dead
now al was changed. The eyes were
open and were glaring at him with a hor-
rible expression Of reproach. AT the