The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-09-14
OLD-TIME SURGERY.
An Operation Usually Interested the Whole
Community.

velous advance in recent years that i
is hard to realize how short time age
operations, now of everyday occur
renee and regarded as almost without
| danger, were frightful ordeals of sui
fering, with very dubious chances o.
recovery A recent article by John
Albee, relating how tragic and impor
tant an event was an amputation in
the village where he passed his child
hood, IS full of curious interest.
San old cobbler. Amos Partridge by
name, had a white swelling upon hi:
knee, originating, it was supposed,
from some accidental blow of his tool
as he sat at work bottoming boots In
his lap, the injury having been after.
ward increased byathe pressure of the
strap used to keep his work in place.
lie was lame for a long while before
he SURRENDERED entirely to his afflic.
ton, but at last the pain becams sc
excruciating that he could no longer
hobble from mis- house to his shop, and
was obliged to take to his bed and call
in a physician, who pronounced it a
case for amputation.
'"The news few through the village
and became at once the subject of SUI
preme interest. Amos was liked, and
the conversation took much the tone
OF one speaking of the virtues of the
departed, for it was before the days OF
an&sthetics, and there were few who
expected him to survive the ordeal"
The writer of the article, knowing
that his mother was to be present TO
assist the surgeons, felt sure, as she
would not leave him alone at home, he
was to be taken to the house of the suf-
ferer. and with childish Incompetent
sion looked forward TO the event as one
too interesting to be other than JOYOUS.
To his mind it was a purely festive
occasion and he was much surprised
when before starting on the morning
of the great day his mother retired to
her chamber and remained some time
on her knees in prayer. At length
they set out together.
Il noticed that my mother carried a
fan. 1t was not hot day and l won
dered much what the fan was for. We
arrived at the house, where there was
already considerab BILE assem- blage Of
the neighbors and friends from a dis
lance. Horses were fastened all about
the premises to trees, fences and the
sides of the barn, just as on
Sunday at the Westinghouse
or at the annual town meeting.
The small boy was there in umbers,
but only few girls Alas for the small
boy! He was not permitted to play near
the house nor to make the least noise.
Bitter was my disappointment"
His mother, admonishing him to be
quiet, passed within, and the boy re-
manned under the open window of the
sick-room, through which he could see
and hear everything. The sufferer
lay there in bed. pale and
troubled, famed by three attend
ant women. Presently the minister
entered and, standing at the foot
of the bed, read a chapter from tho
big family Bible-presumably from
Job, as the boy caught frequent men,
ton of ''boils" and ''affiiction." Other
were in the room and tho
family weeping In a room adjoining.
Then the surgeon-reputed the seventh
son of a seventh son, and of extraor-
binary skill-selected a knife from
array on little table.
Amos eyes were now closed and his
mouth set firm. AS the tourniquet
was twisted tighter and tighter
the lines in his brow grew deeper;
he breathed hard and a moan, the
only one, escaped him as the knife
went through the outer skin. 1t was
not long before the sound of TIE saw
came through the open windows. The
operation was over, and the leg had
taken its last step with its fellow"
What a contrast between these vii.
lage solemnities, primitive methods
and exhausting strain upon an in
valid's fortitude, and the swift, pain
less, perfect performance at modern
hospitals.-New England Magazine.