The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-09
TALE OF A LOST LEG.
A Runaway Accident and n Doctor Who
Thought One Patient Was Only Hysterical.


1t was really quite fortunate that a medical
man CHANGED along. There had been an acct
dent on a suburban road horse had run
away. the rig had been smashed to smithereens
and two women had been injured to an un-
known extent and had been carried into the
dining room Of tho road house near by The
doctor had come that way Just in time to be OF
assistance.
OF the two women. whom he found under
the care OF tho landlords wife and the
mattresses. the older seemed 20 be more press
inGly in need Of his services. while the younger
struck him as being more hysterica than any
thing else. In the grave case no saw that there
was work to be done. at Least two ribs to be
set and Il collar bone. and the likelihood of in
ternal injuries. While the doctor WAS at wora
on these fractures the other woman was
making quite fuss. She was abe 70 sit Up in
n chair, and showed no signs Of injury beyond
superficial scratches and dlsarraugcd apparel.
She might. therefore, safely be lett TO he min
istrations OF the Mattresses. who brought
water and towels to remov" tho dust and other
signs of the IN lshap and set to work with pins
and needle and thread to repair the damage to
Viii" the doctor was working out the splints
for the fractured bones H. could not help over
hearing TIA" moaning If the other pat lent and
the soothing "Thcr", there. yon poor dear" Of
her attendants. The CIR! kept repeating. " I've
surd thing to say aud the doctor attri butei it
" va 'il-hN Sil''h anu
all through the operation on the other patient
ho could hear the hvsterical gin moaning:
81 ye lost my leg, tell you bring me my leg"
When the moro important work had been
don" and the last of the handages nut in place
the doctor was ready to look after the simpler
case. for when n had already made out the
diagnosis OF plain nvstrrics.
Come, now ~ he said in somewhat sharp
tones. don't he a baby. You're all right II
yOu'l! only think So"
- want my leg" the girl replied. It's come
of.
Nonsense !" the doctor answered. I'm
Civ" YOU n little something to settle your
nerves and You viii be all right. for you will
have to look after y. al friend going homo
But, doctor. my DegS come of. l want my
lcgg%% ,nson.a, s,,,, 49, nou a., no,, ,.m 49,.
what silly ,!etusiOn IL is. "
:, but. doctor cant stand Up on one leg. my
other legs come Off.
Iiow much longer the dialogue might have
continued it:would be hard to say. But one OF
the Mattresses seemed to have an idea and
rushed out to the scene OF the break down. In
gathering up he fragments of the broken car
riagc the men had picked IN n piece Of artiA-
cial anatomy clad in n black stocking and
laced shoe. hut exhibiting at the upper end
more or less complicated and dcranGcd ma
chinery, On the group OF men the waitress
descended with the velocity of a tornado ex-
pressing herself aS any woman would be ex-
pected TO under such circumstances. She
seized the leg and ran back into the dining
room before the doctor and the patient had
finished their colloquy. From that on all was
clear. but it took tho doctor longer with the
hid Of bicycle wrench and a screwdriver to
set that artificial leg than all his work on the
patient who had the real broken bones required,