Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1894-04-28

" the tufGn Woufu nave tufuceu tosnhko
iae strongest nerves
There is no danger, said DR.. Eng
her. looking into my staring. protruding
fyes with terrible calmness. You will
not die. my good man. | have only
opened an artery in your thigh. and you
viii experience all the sensations OF
bleeding to death. You viii get weaker
and weaker. and finally, perhaps. lose
VII consciousness. but we shall not let
yon die. No. mol You must live and
bstonish the scientific world through my
great discovery
II naturally could say nothing in re-
ply, and no words can adequately ex-
press what felt at that moment.
could In one breath have wept. inn
plored. cursed and ravei.
Meanwhile felt my life's blood dow
ing and could hear IL drop into vessel
standing under the end Of the table.
Every moment the doctor laid his hand
ON my heart. at the same time making
remarks which only increased my hor-
ror.
After he had put his hand on me for
at least the twentieth time, and felt the
beating Of the heart. he said to his rs
sistant:
".Are you ready with your prepara-
tions. Langners He has now lost an en-
ormous quantity Of blood, and the pulsa-
tion is getting weaker and weaker. See,
he Is already losing CONSEQUENCES and
with these words he took the gag out Of
my mouth.
"A feeling Of deadly weakness rs well
as of infinite misery laid hold Of mo
when the physician uttered these words,
and on my attempting to speak ! found
that scarcely whispering murmnr
passed my lips. Shadowy phantoms and
strange colors fitted before my eyes,
and believed myself to he already In q
state past all human aid.
what happened In the next few min
utes do not know. for | had tainted.
When reopened my eyes noticed no
longer lay on the dissecting table, but
was sitting in an armchair In a COM
Portable room. near which stood the two
doctors looking Ut me.
Near me was flask Of wine. several
smelling salts, few basins Of cold
water. some sponges and galvanic bat
terry. It was now bright daylight, and
the two doctors smiled Ms they looked at
me.
when l remembered the terrible en-
pertinent | shuddered with horror and
tried to rise. felt too weak. however,
and sank back helpless into the chair.
Then the circuit physician, in friendly
but firm voice. addressing me:
"'Compose yourself, young man. You
imagined You were slowly bleeding to
death; nevertheless, be assured that you
have not lost n single drop Of blood.
You have undergone no operation what
ever. but have simply been the victim
OF your own imagination. We knew
very well you heard every word OF oul
conversation, conversation which wa,
only intended to deceive you as much Al
possible. What maintained was, that I
mans body win always completely Ii,
!; under the influence Of what he himself
firmly believes, while my colleague, On
the other hand, held the opinion tina
} the body can never be hurt by anythin,
, which only exists in the imagination
! This has long been an open question be
tween us, which, after your capture
! we at once determined to decide. 50 W
/ surrounded you with objects OF natur
i to influence your imagination. aide
! further by our conversation; and final
". your conviction that we would real
} Iy carry out the operation of which yo
D heard us speak completed the deception
! lyon have now the satisfaction Q
r knowing that you are as safe and Q
sound as ever you were. At the same tim
I we assure you that you really showed q
/ the symptoms Of q man bleeding
4 death, proof that the body can SOM
Q times suffer from the most absurd ul
a reality that the mind can imagine
VI ..Astonishment. joy and doubt at fin
o ing myself neither dead nor dying stru
o gled within me. and then the rage
,s having been subjected TO such an awf
4 and heartless experiment by the tv
Il doctors overcame me. was quick
n interrupted by DIR. Engler, however. I
., trying to give free scope TO my indign
" ton.
. 1--we had not exactly any right
N undertake such an experiment wi
lc you,' he sala; but we thought "
Do would pardon ns II we delivered y
+ from certain punishment instead
n having to undergo painful trial and
long imprisonment for burglary. Y
~ ars certainly at liberty TO comrla
1 about US; but consider. my good fello
ly IL such step Is in your interests. |
el not think 20. On the other hand.
are quite willing to make you . ftti
compensation for all the agony you ha
at suffered
'r- Under the circumstance continu
at George Martin, II considered it wise
TO accept their proposal, although ! hs
ar not to this day forgiven the two men
ID. 80 treating me.
Elf The doctors kept their promi
wo They made me very handsome press
NY and troubled themselves about me
other ways, 30 that since that tim
ith have been Q more fortunate and, ho
better man. Still | have never
mt gotten the hour when lay on the
secfing table--the unexpected victim
he . terrible experiment--in the inter
nto Of science, ~ DIR. Engler explained" !"
eir Such was the strange story Of
friend. His death, which recently /
'er- place, released me from the promis
cir secrecy given to him about an e.
In which he could never recall. even .
nos q lapse Of thirty years. without . fee
lip OF unabated horror.-Strand Magaz
uld