Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-07-05

the breakwater. Near at hand the an
cient clock of Independence hall, three
squares off, doomed slowly forth the
hours of night, the while the metallic
jingle Of small timepiece up town SEEM
ed to mock it's stately leisure.
OF the three dreamy spectators of this
silent scene. Elwood Barring was the
least likely to do or say anything which
would be apt to cause offense to his fel-
lows. and consequently they were unpre-
pared for his sudden outbreak of the mo-
ment before. Sheppard exchanged
glance with his companion. which plain
ly said: ~lt's coming. No human being
can stand a strain like that for eight
days and not show it. There's a break
in sight" Already in his brief term of
service with US at the hospital, Barring
had shown himself to be our peer as
practical physician, and only the day be-
fore old DR.. BIacke had said that he had
never seen his equal for working capaci-
ty. But as we all thought, nature has
her limits, and now it seemed that Bar
ing was TO reap a stern reward for his
Zealousness.
The recollection of that summers heat
is still fresh in all minds. but few people
uON especially was LIZ
strain upon the resident physicians of our
city hospitals. Day in and day out, from
dawn to dawn. those unnamed heroes
toiled and worked against the ravages Of
the tyrant. death.
Only moment for hastily snatched
meal-only an hour or so for nap on
the nearest unoccupied bed or couch-no
time for self-only to strive, to labor, to
toll. Only a life to save, perhaps, that
was better lost. but all for humanity No
inspired pen has told the multiple stories
of their devotion to duty. but we, who in
our modest way were able to help them.
we knew it all-nor were we the only
ones who knew. Sun stricken patients,
with racing pulse and fatal temperature.
moaning in their delirium or shivering in
the deadly heat chill. These later on
knew Of the peril from which they had
been rescued, and today. in hundreds of
homes, the names of these white suited
''internes" are household words. Oh, We
warriors of health! Fight on your bat
ties in the arena of experience. lie saluti
There was, as a rule. little conversation
in those nocturnal gatherings on the roof
Each preferred to sit in silence, smoking
his faithful pipe and doing between the
puffs. Tonight, however, we were all
wakeful, and while talk was scarce ev-
erybody seemed restless. The sound of a
rapidly approaching wagon told US that
our infant" Walters, was returning
from a. ."hurry call" ambulance trip, and
with regretful sigh, betook
himself to the receiving ward to welcome |
the unfortunate. Time passed, and still |
we sat and still we smoked-in silence. |
Cautiously the trapdoor was lifted, re-
vealing, white capped and gowned, the |
form of the night nurse, Miss Ames.
''Dr. Barring" softly spoken, ''Dr. Bar
ing, will you come to No. SO. l think he's |
going" Barring followed slowly to the
bedside of the young Italian boy that |
day received from Sheppard's ward suf-
fering from that curiously fatal disease
whose very symptoms prove a block to
cure. a single glance sufficed, and then
Call the father" was his huskily spoken
adict. With numbering steps the fresh
awakened parent approached the death
bed. Already the strange, quick half
gasp, half choke breathing which marks
The fatal stage had begun, and the yell
ow, waxeulike features assumed the hue
IF death. mater dolorosa, Jesu Maria.
Jesu Maria, salvo puero" moaned the
father. ''Ah, my boy, my boy. my little
PETROL he cried. And now over the face
If the boy smile fits and comes again
Ind then slowly, ah, SO slowly, the gasps
'ome and go and grow fewer and fewer
mill