The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1902-10-10

he had received, rendered bis condition
desperate indeed.
The house surgeon proceeded e
cleanse the scalp and cut away the
hair, disclosing an ugly cash extending
10 the bone.
DR. Clayering turned brlskly, Sc
lcctcd a cleaning scalpel, and ap
preached the operating table. lie
scarcely glanced at the patient
81 VIII lay bare the skull with a
sweeping seml-clrcular lncision Of am.
pie length, so as to afford a clear work.
ing field" he began Following that,
with a hammer and chisel, l will cut
through a section Of the bone and
break It at the base, laying bare the
brain"
DR.. Clayering prepared TO make the
lnclslon. At that instant the assistant
raised the cone to replenish 1t with
ether. The surgeon caught a glimpse
of the patients face and gave an in.
voluntary start. His face paled in an
instant, and he staggered back. He re.
covered his composure I'm a moment,
however, and turned once more to the
members Of the class, who now leaned
forward In axious expectation.
Gentlemen, on second thought !
viii use the trephine itself instead Of
the chisel, and / will not employ the
semi-clrcular incision. The case is a
desperate one, but by the exercise Of
great care the man may yet be saved.
l will describe the steps in the opera
ton as we proceed.
"a crucial incision of medium length
will suffice. The retractOrs, doctor.
Thank you. We now fasten back the
corners of the severed scalp and lay
bare the periosteum. This we divide
in a line with the superficial incision.
Now we come to the skull itself. Here
is the line of fracture extending for q
distance of two inches. You can see
where the bone is depressed and presses
on the brain. The depression is evi,
IDENTIFY in the neighborhood Of the Els
sure Of Sylyius.
"The trephine, please"
A few dexterous turns of the saw.
toothed instrument, and q small but.
ton-like section of bone was removed.
"Now the elevator" said the surgeon,
and with a rapid motion the depressed
edge of the bone was lifted to its nor
NAL position.
Suddenly the patient gasped for
breath and seemed on the verge Of col.
lapse.
This man has lost much blood"
murmured DR.. Clavering. "Quick,
bring the normal saline solution while
l make an incision in the left arm
Gently, now" and the surgeons voice
trembled strangely as the intravenOus
injection was made.
"Ah, that is better" he continued, as
the patients heart action became
stronger 'Now 1 insert a drainage
tube and close the surgical opening
Dr. Clements, the dressings and band
ages, please. That will do. Gentle
men, this man will recover"
Again the surgeon swept the rows Of
eager faces with his keen glance
bowed gravely and walked with grea
dignity from the room. A storm of ap
plause arose as he made his exit.
y
, On the morning following the opera
ton the dead body OF DR.. Claverinl
was found in the bachelor apartment
which he occupied. The pistol Tight.
clasped in his right hand and a small
bullet wound in the temple told thei
, own story. A penciled note found o.
= a table in the surgery disclosed the me
tive for his act. 1t read as follows:
n ITO whom it may concern: To-day
l. operated upon q man, the sight o
: whom awakened such agonizing men
o cries that can no longer endure then
8 The man was my brother. Years ag
: he forged my name, thereby obtain
Y ing a large sum of money. Followin
o this he ran away with the only woma
g ever loyed.-John McKeen Clavel
n ing. New York Evening Sun.