The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1899-08-11
SAVES A LIFE.

In one of the larger cities which DR..
Downing visits the leading physician, DR..
j., who has the largest practice in the
place, called upon DR.. Downing at the
hotel and in the course of conversation up
on medical and general subjects the local
physician said: "Dr Downing, how is it
that you have been able to report so many
cases of appendicitis, while | have never
had single case In twenty-five years of
practice?" DR.. Downing replied that ne
could not account for it, and it must have
been special good fortune, and drifted the
conversation to other general and current
matters for time, which DIR. }. again in
terrupted by saying: Doctor, | have two
cases that are much alike, which are not
getting along well, in fact one of them /
hayeitold the family fear cannot recover"
He then described the cases, giving symp-
toms, etc. After he had finished DR.. Down
ing asked a few questions to verify the
diagnosis which he had already made in
his own mind. Then said DR.. j.. You
certainly have two cases of appendicitis,
and L fear one of them ought to have been
operated upon several days ago. Well,
DR.. j. was dumbfounded and chagrined to
hear this after his recent assertion, but
after he had recovered himself, he asked
DIR. downing to go with him to see the
cases. They found one case almost in col
lapse, and it seemed almost hopeless to try
to do anything to save life that hung by
so slight cord DR.. Downing examined
the case with greatest care, weighed the
chances and told the doctor and family lust
what the chances were, that the only faint
hope was IN an operation, that the patient
could scarcely live another day without the
operation, which might mean recovery.
The family were impressed with DIR. Down
lngs manner and candor, and felt that he
knew just what he was saying, and it was
decided that DR.. Downing should perform
the delicate operation that night 1t was
then about nine o'clock. Well, sir, when
he opened the abdomen he found great
mass of lnhammed tissue all grown to-
gether and cavity of the worst matter you
can imagine, just ready to break, and to
have done so would have caused immediate
death. Well, DIR. Downing completed the
operation with greatest care, removed all
the diseased parts and closed the wound,
gave directions for caring for the case and
returned to the hotel with the attending
physician, giving him some advice about
the after treatment, ETC., and prepared to
take the train to another city, where he
had an appointment for the next day.
Well, sir, as he was taking the carriage to
90 to the train, DR.. j said, IS they shook
hands: "Dr. Downing this night has been
a revelation to me. can look back and
see perhaps fifty cases like that one tonight
and they all went as that one would have
gone. | want to arrange to 90 to the city
and sec you treat these cases. | can see
here is difference in doctors. / honestly
thought was a capable physician and sur
geon. TonightI fndI am not Medical
science has grown away from me as it has
from the physicians meet who have stay
ed here and not taken advantage of medi-
cal advancement of the last fifteen or
twenty years We doctors in smaller cities
don t pet away to learn the new things and
our patients de because Of it. am CRATE
fulto you for showing me my true position
and | want you to help mo bring myself up
to modern advanced medical and surgical
knowledge" And with another handskake
they parted. What happened to the
case?" Why, it got well and is today one.
of the thousands of persons who owe their
lives to Dir. Downing and believe he is the
most skillful doctor there Is; and do you
wonder?
Wei, this is only one OF a thousand
equally wonderful cases which DR.. Down
ing has Cured. Scarcely more wonderful
are his cures than is his faculty to know
when case is incurable, and ne does not
undertake to treat a case which he believes
to be incurable. This is one reason he has
been able to build up the great practice
with patients from all parts of the country
eager for the cures which his treatment
guarantees.
His city offices are always crowded by
persons from all parts of the United States.
suffering from weakness or disease for
which they have failed to obtain relief else
where. In his great work he requires the
assistance of twelve doctors, otherwise ne
could not attend to the great numbers who
come to him for relief.