Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-04-08
SHRAOY USED A RAZOR.
Cut Mans Throat to Save Him From
Choking to Death.

/ Sut n mans Throat To save Him From
Choking to Death.
About - years ago" said DR.
George h. Shrady to group OF stu
dents at one OF the hospitals the
other afternoon, Il was spending
the summer iii the country up near
Rondout. One day l was driving
along the road early i'll the after
noon and was just passing Il little
| frame house when n wild eyed wO-
man rushed out, crying: Doctor, for
! the love of heaven StOpl My old
mans dying Come i'll, quickr l
| knew the family and had seen the
woman : husband that forenoon as
l passed strong Irish labnrinG
man, apparently i'll perfect health.
| though it rather unusual that he
should he mortally i'll at such short
notice, but did not wait to ask any
questions, and telling the little boy,
who had followed his mother out, to
take care of my horses l jumped
from the buggy AMI hurried into
the house.
1.-The man lay back in his chair
gaSping for breath. He was black
in the face. and | saw that in two
minutes more he would bc dOnC for.
| acted quicker than | thought and
in II second had him out of the chair
and ON to II small couch by the win
dow. | saw that he had something
i'll his throat that was suffocatlng
him and that the only chance of saw
traChCotomy. ! had no instruments
with me, and uS held him down on
the COuCh with one hand | felt i'll
stinCtiv"ly in my pocket with the
other hand formy pcnknife. But it
was not there.
There on the window sill saw Il
razor. In another second l had |
weighed the whole thing in my
mind. Did dare take the risk of
performing such Il delicate operation
with such rude Instrument If I
failed. it would hC murder But,
then, the man would die in minute
more. | had opened hundreds OF
Threats before, but under the most |
circumstances. l would |
take the chances
Il seized the razor and made three
Sits i'll the mans windpipe in the
usual fashion. To my intense relief.
all went we'll. BY holding open the
aperture had made he was able TO
breathe, and he lay still fortunately,
with Il look of intense relief on his
face, as quiet rs 4 lamb.
1.-The next question was how to
keep open the inciSion. AS YOU
know, if it was allowed to close.
ephymoSis would set in; tho air
would find its way beneath the skin.
and i'll little while it would all he
putfcd ont like toy balloon, there
would bC no chance of finding the
opening again, and the man would
SuffOcatc.
Have you got needle and
thrcadf | asked the woman. She
looked about hurriedly in a dazed
way, but could find none. Get me
Il piece of wire. then. | said. She
couldn't find that either, and we
finally had 10 compromise on hair
pin, which | succeeded in bending So
as TO keep the wound open.
"Thcn told her to keep her hus
band perfectly still and ran out to
my buggy and drove to Rondout. |
got DIR. Douglas there, and he re
turned with me, bringing his instru-
mcntS and Il tracheOtomy tube and
antisrptics, and the operation |
had commenced SO hurricdly was
| brought 10 II successful end.
Il found out that the man had
been eating dinner and had 'swal.
lowed something the wrong way
which naturally choked him. So
far as ! know, he il still living.
"llic fahula docct, gentlemen, that
you Go not need 4 Especial instrument
for each different operation, and
that in C;lSc of life and death, where
every second is precious, You must
| Keep your nerves steady and do the
| best YOU can. This was the most
difficult operation that l ever per
formed. New York journal.