The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1892-08-24

Die lor sucl purpose lex TOO Hlscla-
bic, however, to think anything more
about it. Bot 1 soon noticed, after snOth
er vain effort to free myself, that 1 was
not alone in the room, for l heard the
rnstling Of paper. and then some one said
in quiet measured tones:
-'Yes, Langner, am quite convinced
that this man is particularly suited for
the carrying out of my highly important
experiment. How long have l been
wishing to make the attempt-at last,
tonight, shall be able to produce the
proof Of my theory
THAT would indeed be high triumph
Of human skill I heard a second voice
reply; but consider, dear doctor, ifthat
man there were to expire under cur
hsnds-what then ?"
'Impossibler was the quick reply.
1t is bound to succeed, and even if it did
not, he viii die glorious death in the
interests Of science; while if we were to
let him 90. he would sooner or later fall
into the hands of the hangman.
~Ieould not even see the two men, yet
their conversation was, doubtless, about
me and, hearing it. 1 shudJered from
head to foot They were proposing some
dangerous operation on me not for my
benefit, but in the interests Of medical
science
AT any rate, thought they won't
undertake such thing without my sane
ton and what, after all, was their in
tention? 1t must be something terrible,
for they had already mentioned the pos
sibility Of my saecumbing. I should
soon know the fearful truth, for, after
short pause, they continued
It has long been acknowledge that
the true source Of life lies in the
blood. What 1 wish 10 prove, dear Lang
ner, is this Nobody need de from
pure blood, and yet such cases occur only
too often. while We must all the time be
in possession Of means to renew this high
y important sap Of life, and thus avoid a
fatal result We read Of a few, but Only
a few, cases OF man who for some reason
or other has lost 50 much blood that his
death appeared ineytiA bic, ifsome other
noble hearted man had not offered his
own blood, IN order to let it flow from
his veins into the veins Of the dyirg
man. As you are aware, this proceeding
I has always had the desired effect.
consider it, however, q great mistake 10
deprive 4 fellow being of necessary
blood. for the one thereby only gains life
and strength az the cost Of another, who
offers himselfI for an always dangerous
sacrifice
~'Yes, do not think that right either,
replied Dr. Langner. And, moreover,
how seldom Is a man found at the criti-
cal moment, ready 70 submit himself At
once to such dangerous loss Of blood
THAT is very natural no one lightly
undertakes such a thing continued tie
other. 50 much greater viii be our
triumph if the operation succeeds 1
hope to show you, dear colleague, that
although We ara thinking Of taking that
mans blood, even to the last drop, n q
few hours We shall set him on his feet
again: :"
Just sol do not see why weshOuld
not succeed: At any rate, in the inter
est Of science We should p5oye in prae-
teal manner the correctness Of our theo-
~.
~'And this proof dear friend, We viii
undertake without delay Let me just
repeat my instructions, for We cannot 20
to work 70 carefully t5o preserve the life
Of this man. I viii open a vein in his
thigh and measure exactly the quantity
ofblood which flows out, at the same
tine watching the beating Of the heart
Z Under ordinary circumstances nothing
could possibly save him; but Just before
I the extinction Of the last spark Of life,
We viii insert the warm blood Of living
rabbit into his veins, as We have already
arranged Ifmy theory Is right, the pull
sation Of the heart will then gradually
increase in strength and rapidity- At
the same time it Is important to protect
his limbs from cold and Stiffness, which
will naturally take place with the loss Of
ali arterial blood
@The conversation Of the two doctors
overwhelmed me with deadly terror. l
could scarcely believe was really awake
and not the victim OF some cruel night
mare.
The fact remained, however, that 1
lay helpless on the dissecting table, that
threatening skeleton stood in the cor
ner of the room, and, above al, that ter
/ ribIe conversation which had to listen
/ 10 in silence flied me with fear such as
I had never before experienced. Invol-
unfairly the thought forced Itself upon
me that was at the merry Of two infat-
uated doctors, to whose mad theory 1
should here fail the victim
Il said 70 myself that no doctor with =
sound mind would propose such fright
/ fol and murderols experiment upon
living man
! The two doctors now approached
the dissecting table and looked calmly
into my face; then, smiling. took 0fftheir
coats and tucked up their sleeves. L
struggled 10 get free, as only desperate
man under such extraordinary eircum-
stances could have struggled. In vain
Their long acquired experience knew
how 10 render me completely helpless,
and, to their satisfaction, Icould not even
make a sound.
"Dr. EngIer now turned to side table,
and I saw him open chest Of surgical
instruments and take out a lancet with
which he returned to me- he az once
removed the covering from my right
thigh, and although lay bound to the
table in such a way that I could not see
nv limbs, was able TO watch the doctors
busted with their preparations.
Directly after removing the cloth l
felt prick in the side of my leg and at
once felt the warm blood rush forth and
trickle down my leg The conviction
that he had opened the principal vein in
the thigh would have s1ficej 70 shake
the strongest Leryes-
There Is no danger" said DR.. Engleri