The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-09-04
GATES COULD FIGHT
Under ChIoroform, He Put the
Doctors Out.
DANGEROUS OPERATION
Four Doctors Were Unable to
Control Him.

About ten days ago Mr.. Ben Gates, a
! printer Of kingman, wrote 20 Drs- Pur-
due and Hoffman asking them when they
could make date for performing an oper-
alton for appendicitis. They told him 20
come to Wichita. which ks did a week ago
yesterday. He was taken to the CITY hos
pital and on Tuesday morning ne was
prepared for the delicate work
DR.. J. w. Cheney of kingman and DR..
Mccoy Of this city were asked TO assist
Drs- Purdue and Hoffman They all re-
paired 10 the hospital and Gates, who
had been informed OF the seriousness Of
his case, was very willing 70 have the
doctors get 20 work and have the matter
over as soon as possible.
Gates IS a young man, about "A years
OF age, big, strong and peworfu phys.c-
ally. Shortly after the doctors admins
tered The chIoroform he demonstrated
thai ne was a perfect Hercules aid
rival to Bob FiIzSimmons for pugilIsLic
honors-
II was with considerable reluctance that
the physicians undertook the operation,
as an analysis and diagnosis Of his case
proved TO them that Il would De excep-
tionaIly dangerous, as he had 10 per cent
of albumen ur1na, which, with the opera
ton, might easily cause his death. As
tae appendicitis was not as dangerous as
1t might be, and as ne may live for
number Of years. the doctors were not
over anxious TO undertake the task with
the odds in favor Of death Bue ne was
full Of grit and said: Go ahead"
The chloroform sponge was prepared and
put over his mouth and nostrtls while ne
lay on the operating table. For five min
utes chloroform was given to hfm under
the most trying difficulties He squirn-
Sd about and it took the utmost exertions
Of the four TO keep him on the table. The
more the chloroform took effect the more
violent he became The doctors had all
they could attend to before ne got very
much OF the chloroforn, but when he was
in comatose condition he was altogether
too much for them
He jumped. Jerked. kicked. struck ard
bit and at last succeeded in getting away
from the physicians. He jumped from
the operating table and got into a corner,
where with his eyes closed and in semi
conscious condition he doubled up his fists
and seemed TO be waiting for any one
who approached. Whenever any of those
in the room started toward him he would
clench his fists and assume the pose OF
puglIst who was ready 70 strike his toe.
Nothing could be done for him yet none
present cared TO go near him, as DR.. Pur-
due had received a right-handed punch
in the side and Dr.. Hoffman had been hit
on the left eye, but fortunately the blow
Just gra7ed his face
In all some twenty minutes had been
consumed with the administering Of the |
ehEoroforTn and Mr.. Gates strenuous re-
sistance- He had probably stood in the |
corner of the room FOR some ten or fifteen |
in such an antagonistic posture |
that all were afraid 20 go near him. At 1
the end OF that time ne fell over uncon-
scioUs- He as picked up BY the attend |
ants and carried TO a room where he soon
CONSCIOUSNESS, and that evening |
na with his sister, Mrs. z. A Palmer.
and Dr.. J. w. Cheney, left for their home |
n Kingman-
Drs. Purdue and Hoffman wer. seen
yesterday and asked regarding the action
u Mr.. Gates when half way under the
influence Of the drug. Both gentlemen
said that they could have got him under
he influence, but Bhen they saw what the
-esults were they were afraid TO go on
With the operation and did not make any
great effort TO get him in condition for
he operation, as they considered it too
Ian gerouS under the circumstances. II il
lad been a case where he could not i've
without having the operation performed
hey would have called IN assistants and
'ut him under the influence and did It
nd taken the chances on rs recovArY.