The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1898-07-08
wft...- .ttil-c UNCONSCIOUS
Ether c2d ChlorofOrm Produce
o.. I-Ecct n q German.


Ether c3d Chloroform Produce n
Qaccr Eject IN Il German.
DR.. Edwin Ricketts,, OF Cincinnati, is
enc of the largest men physically and
mentally III the Southern Surgical and
Gynecologieal association. He is
knownaSa daring aud skillfu. operator,
and has achieved I reputation by his
contributions 10 medical journals on
abdominal surgery Those who know
the doctor say he is as brave ordinarily
as Julius Caesar. Yet, like the StyX-
dipped Achilles, he has a Vulnerable
spot.
The story told on the genial surgeon
comes from his home. Cincinnati. He
was invited by a fellow physician to be
present at particularly difficult dem
onstratiOn. DR.. Tickets was late in
;mriyin@ and was forced to take po-
sition On the outer edge of the circle of
doctors and students. Nothing had
been said about the condition of the
subject and he supposed it was Il
cadaver. The figure was that Of d
giant TeutoH. and to all appearances
stirred and no breathing was percepti-
be. The location Of the operation was
exposed. and the operator, gTaspirg
his knife, advanced to the patient. As
the cold steel touched the flesh start
ling thing happened. From beneath
he flaXen mustache Of the form ON the
table came the. familiar notes of
".\nnie Laurie whistled clearly and
distinctly. The effect on the company
was electrical. The operating sur
geon's knife fell with rattle to the
floor, the students rushed for the door,
ard the older physicians stood trans
fixed with amazement
Clear and sweet. came the notes: OF
the cd song. even to the last bar. Then
Tie tune was switched to Die Yacht
am Rhine" BY the time this was COM
pieted the room was empty Of students,
but the veteran physicians remained
trembling at their posts. Suddenly
the subject sat up. AS he gazed over
the row OF white-aproned figures
Wild light sprang into his eyes. With
d yell he ieared from the table and
dealt the nearest physician a stunning
blow in the face. then he attacked the
others. Chairs. tables. bookcases were
overturned. glasses smashed and furri-
tnre demolished. The physicians got
outside and awaited the cooling of the
Germans passion. Gradually he be-
came calmer until at last he sank ex-
haUsted in a chat. The medical men
advanced in body and demanded an
explanation. The patient could give
none. For time he was crazy. DR..
Ricketts, was informed that the man
had been under the influence of an an
eSthet!c and he was asked to assist in
the operation. The patient insisted that
the work go on, and chloroform was
substituted for ether. The knives were
brought cut and an incision was about
to be made when. for the second time.
the strains of 'Annie Laurie fell upon
the ears Of the company. This time
there was no delay. Everybody except
Dr.. Ricketts, fled to the street. A few
moments !2terhe too had to seek refuge
from the huge fist Of the German. who
was again on the rampage. After this
second outbreak the demonstration
was abandoned. The strange conse-
quences Of the aresthetc were never
satisfactorily explained by the medical
fraternity.-St. Louis Post Dispatch.