Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1900-04-24

wonder he thinks it the noblest and
best in the choice of man. To. cut to
curei to shed blood to save--to him
1t seems to represent the highest de-
velopment of the progress Of his race.
But when, long afterward, perhaps,
this same student, now q general prac-
titioner, finds himself confronted with
the ordeal-ah, that is different. Be
tween these days and those others when
he hurried to the hospital amphithe-
alter stretch years in which his conf
dence may have waned, his memory Of
the scene about the operating table
grown dull. There is no cowardly desire
upon him to shirk the responsibility
| his professional training would count
for little did 1t not insure him against
such weakness-but he understands
the extent of that responsibility. AS
q neutrality-suspicious. he watched the
| work of specialists; now, us an oper-
ator, 1t is his duty to endeavor to APP
proach their skill as nearly as lies in
| his power, though the knife comes
strange and unaccustomed to his hand.
| Mind you, am not speaking of the
hundreds in every thousand of the pro-
fession to whom surgery stands as the
bestowed branch of their art, nor vet
of those who have achieved unhesitat-
ing, unflinching obedience to the man
dates of duty, but of those others,
among whom count myself, who find
themselves possessed, no matter what
their experience, by reluctance to ply
the knife, even while they prepare for
| the ordeal the necessity of which they
realize. Is the feeling rare? 1t is sell
dom expressed, it is true, but never
theless it often exists, none the less
poignant for its concealment I have
never conquered it, though have taken
| part in many an operation since the
| one performed in the low-ceiled room
of the farmhouse.
AS Banks had said, the hope Of the
patients recovery rested on his sturdy
constitution. Since his removal to the
house Jones had had several intervals
of consciousness, although for the most
part he lay In q state of semistupor.
More than once caught the word mis-
taken" in his rambling talk, when the
fog cleared away from his brain, and
the memory of Lamar's enigmatic OBJ
servation flashed upon me; but il was
no time to speculate upon the coinci-
| dence.
Banks was at the injured mans head,
ready to apply the chloroform.
You'll need an assistant, Norris -
said he. sect somebody who Gun be
depended upon to keep his senses and
hand you the right thing when you call
for it. Who is available?"
There were two or three wile-eyed
faces against the window-panes, but
| knew too well how much reliance could
be placed upon their owners. Bangs
understood my hesitation. Stepping
| to the door, he called out:
Miss Gray"
She could not have been far away,
for she responded to the summons be-
fore could make protest Banks
tersely told her what was wanted.
II will do my BEST" she said. Her
voice was steady, but, as she entered
the room and came into the glare of the
lamps, her face showed pale und drawn.
1T will be severe test of your
nerves." said l. Don't undertake it
If"
II am quite ready she said, quietly,
but decisively.
and III warrant her nerves. said
Banks. Miss Gray, please hold out
| your hand. No shaking there, Norris .
he added, with little triumph.
mo, there's too much tension" l
thought, but did not put the opinion
into words. Banks passed her an apron
| 1T was an old enc of Mrs. Weston's-
and she took the station he pointed out
to her and listened attentively to the
simple directions he gave.
There is a place for elaborate de-
scriptions of amputations, but, ! hold,
it is to be found within the covers of
technical publications. There is no
good reason for setting down here all
that we did, from the administering of
the chloroform and the applying of the
tourniquet to the fastening of the last
bandage. The leg was taken off a few
inches above the knee; the operation
was successful, as the term is. Dorothy
Gray did all that was asked of her, and
did itwell. Only once did she finch
that was when tiny squirt OF blood
from severed vessel stained her
apron; but, even then, in an instant she
was again self-controlled, attentive,
ready. From first to last l 10 not
think she glanced once toward the face
covered by the handkerchief saturated
with chloroform. When our task was
done, and Jones had been borne to the
bed i'll an adjoining room which Lad
been prepared for his reception, l
turned to find her leaning against the
wall, her eyes looking straight before
her and the fingers of her claspcd hands
working systematically. She started
violently when l touched her ann, and
gazed at me as wildly as one reused
from an appalling dream.
Here, here, Miss Gray" said l, this
won't do at all. We can't have you
like this. Let me prescribe for you"
Glow is he doing?" She pointed
to the inner room.
"As well as we could ask. Banks
is with him, and will remain as long as
he is needed. Do you come with me-
led the way to the open air, and she
followed with the tocility of child.
FLO be continued
Il " -