Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-07-08
HIS PHANTOM LEG,

Amputafed Long Ago, Gives Its Former
Owner Painful Sensations.
From the Muscatine DAD News.
have been requested by many friends to note
for publication some Of the nerve phenomena
characterizing the sensations l have suffered
from my amputated limb.
For years past have heard and read Of sim
liar sufferings Of soldiers and others who had
lost leg, foot or hand, and have known Of the
superstition in respect to these sensations being
due to the burial Of the lost member in q
cramped condition. and Of the sensations
ceasing upon the limb being relaid in q natural
position, 80 that not wholly unprepared
for what have TO relate. But no previous
warming or information can give to one any an
ticipation Of the strange Ghostly. but terribly
substantial pains which are SO frequently the
sequel 80 amputations.
There is little heed to be paid to aught but
the pain OF what are called the surgical and
nervous shocks following thigh amputation
All one do il to bold on to life with the grit
he possesses while passing through this severe
ordeal think it was the fourth day after the
operation that became strangely conscious of
my leg not having been discovered at all 1t
was lying there in bed by the side Of its COM
paniOn. perfect in knee. calf. ankle. heel in
step and hollow Of foot and toos. and as natural
~ Its fellow. The pain in nearly all its men,
W hahc ~
itself to me, but found could raise it from
the bed, work its foot, nrtIcuiate its toes and
gently move 1t from one place to another. 1t
began to be intensely painful and soon COM
manded my whole attention From that time to
this. ABOUT three weeks. 1t has caused the only
suffering have endured. The wound itself
mas peeh free irot" PAIN and the rest OF my
body In a fair normal condition. while my appe-
ute mas been TAR ana my spirits comparatively
cheerful. But let no one make the mistake bv
my saving that these nervous emotions have
been my 'oniy sufferinSs, OF supposing that they
nave consequently been slight. On the contrary,
had been stretched highland day on the storied
rack OF the inquisition my torture could not
nave been greater. Had Dante suffered a SINH
lar amputaHon nc could nave added pictures
surprising anything to be found in his I'm
ferno And yet as l have said to myself and
sometimes out loud, hundred times. there is
absolutely nothing there and all these torsures
occur where nothing exists.
The reader Will be curious to know the kind
and method OF these fortunes. They partake of
every KIND which the spirit OF cruelty could de-
wise. At times stream OF fire courses down
the calf with violence that tears the flesh
open; then 1t wreathes its flames about the
ankle and heel and makes its escape by deep
grooves along the foot to the toes. This changes
to the limb being held In terrible wise OF
jagged wood. as torturous clamps are put on
the ankle aud heel until they seem crushed out
OF all form Small balls OF fire are pressed
against the hollow OF the foot. and appear to TO
burning themselves through. The toes are
twisted as by sharp wrench, and to vary the
pain Keen KNIFE proceeds to slit open the ball
OF each toe. One OF the most excruciating tor
lures consists IN plnolng 1907. ankle and leg
with innumerable cords and strings attached
TO the toes and then drawing tension on them
that threatens to dis1oint evory member As
sit writing these cords are on. and my foot
seems drawn nenrlv 10 the scat.