The Black range. (Robinson, Socorro County, N.M.) 1882-1897, 1894-08-10
ETHER'S l%NFLU-EcE.
An Old Soldiers Thrilling Experience I'm
der the Surgeons Kni.o.

DER the SufSeOn's hni4c.
A gentleman recently operated on at =
private hospital for the removal Of the les
eye, the socket and membrane OF which haI
become the seat of a cancer, tells the fol
lowing interesting story of his experience
under the knife to a New York correspond
ent:
1.-THE doctors agreed that l had cancer,
and nothing but an extensive surgical oper-
alton could save my life. Ifelt, on hearing
their decision, like a condemned murderer
as though at a certain day and hour | should
look for the last time on earth and encounter
the TERRIBLE
"'But it twill not be painful said the sur
geon, with a pleasant smile. you will be
under ether, you know
"The operation was to be done three days
after the consultation that sealed my fate.
How / lived through those three days l can
not tell. ! wondered if l would have the
courage to face the ordeal coolly. / had
never before thought myself a coward. |
passed through twelve battles during the
late war and never shrank from danger.
But OH a surgical operation, with all its
calm and detailed preparation-all its awful
chances-is quite another thing. To get on
a table, lie down and take ether, with the
knowledge that you are about to have the
most delicate organ of your bodycarved out
that, indeed, calls for courage. Like the
man about to be hanged, | felt anxious to
have it over and was greatly afraid /
should lose all my grit at the last moment
and make a show of myself. Still, there
was one comfort-I should feel no pain;
and my nerves felt much strengthened by
the reflection, when l compared the surgical
operation of the present day with that of
fifty years ago, when it would have taken
six strong men to hold me while my eye
was being literally gouged out and / was
writing in agony, conscious of it all.
"At last the day of the operation arrived.
lay down on the operating table, and the
surgeon placed the ether cone over my
mouth and n~ostrils. Itook a long, deep in
spiration of the ether. 1t was cold and
tasted good, tingling slightly as it entered
my lungs, and causing a peculiarly delight
full thrill to pass over me. After taking a
few more breaths | began to feel in a half
visionary state. thought | was in a ball
room filled with the gayest company and
was tripping the fantastic to some dreamy
waltz with the fairest OF the fair. Then ]
could not resist singing. Noticing the doc
tor look gravely at me, | came back at once
to the situation.
"'Doctor,' l said, this is delightful =
splendidp Just then something seemed to
crack inside my head. could see sparks
OF fire flying all about me-. Every object in
the room was in a whirl. The doctor and
his attendants seemed to be engaged in a
mad dance around me-, such as the canni-
balls indulge in around their roasting mis-
sionary. Then | had most horrible dreams.
| fancied that thedoctor was amurderer, and
that he had made his way into my room in
the night by means of an open window. /
saw the awful knife CLEAN in his hands and
could feel t,he cold blade as it descended
into my stomach. Then | thought l was
taken to a dissecting room and there carved
up in the interest OF science. Finally ]
awoke, and the surgeon, bending over me,
cautioned me to remain motionless, and at
the same time assured me that the operation
had been successful"
The surgeon said: 1.-THE operation was
for cancer Of the eye-ball and socket, and
necessarily a very delicate undertaking.
The patient took ether remarkably well.
AS Soou dS Nc was UNCONSCIOUS une OfDlt
was removed. The diseased plates of bone
were then carefully sawed away and the
operation completed. 1t does not seem in
telling of it how tedious it was For three
hours we worked constantly on the patient.
Much bleeding took place, and the work was
several times retarded by the need of Civ
ing more ether, as the patient evidently felt
pain occasionally. As to the dreams which
he enjoyed while under ether, they are not
unusual. 1t is a remarkable fact that ply
steal memory continues while the brain
sleeps or is under an anesthetic. The op-
GRAFTON vas unattended with a single un,
favorable result, and the patient awaits
only the time when the wounds shall be per-
fectly healed to have q glass eye put into
the socket"