The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-06-28
THEIR FIRST PATIENTS.



Their Own Praise.
Washington Star.
Local physicians Of prominence tell some
very amusing stories of how they obtained
their first patient.
Every physician in practice to-day re-
tains recollection of his first real case as
it Is a well-known fact that doctors, like all
other public men, have great difficulty In
securing an opportunity to demonstrate
their ability" said a prominent surgeon
whose name is household word in Wash
ington.> my inclination" continued this
physician, was always toward surgical
work. and my first operation was humorous
In the extreme. In my earlier professional
lie L had few opportunities to crafty my
desire-I started out an assistant to a
surgeon OF national reputation.
My duty as an assistant was simply to
dress cases, and longed for an opportunity
of doing some actual surgical work. l most
certainly was not trusted by the surgeon
whom l was assisting. nor could 1 secure
patients who would trust me. In the special
department Of surgery my preference was
for that known as plastic.
Going through the wards one day, / was
highly pleased and interested on seeing a
negro sitting by his bed with one of the
greatest deformities that could happen to
mankind-a loss of the nose. / examined
the condition very carefully thought over
the authorities I had read on the subject
and informed the patient that could easily
make him a new nose of any form desired.
l asked him what shape he preferred
Roman, African or pug. He replied that IL
did not make any difference. so that the
hole In his face was covered. Next morn
ing / met my surgeon in the ward and
calling his attention to the negro, requested
that he allow me to make the operation
He Immediately informed me that / was
not yet competent to do such work. and
for me to let the patient alone. 1 could
think OF nothing else but that nose, and the
desire to make the operation increased as
the days went by. A few weeks later. my
surgeon having left the city. saw my OPP
portunity, and. calling in consultation three
or four medical students, chums of mine
and having received the consent of the pa
tent. We took him to the operating room,
chloroformed him, when 1 made the opera
ton known as the Indian method. Select
ing a leaf as pattern. which was laid over
the forehead, just above the root OF the
nose with pencil mark outlining the pat
tern upon the skin over the forehead. The
incision was made. the flap for the new
nose formed, pulled down and placed over
the chasm producing the deformity. Cotton
was inserted under the flap to elevate the
new nose and keep IL In position.
- felt very proud and highly elated over
the result, and anxiously awaited the re-
turn Of my surgeon, to prove to him that
was competent 10 undertake even the most
delicate operation. On his return, how
ever, he was not as greatly pleased as l
expected him To be. and gave me a scolding
in the severest terms. at the same time
that 1t was too early to judge from sp-
pearances.
Shortly afterward came to Washington
to locate, and within few weeks one of
my visitors was the negro operated upon
and / was Inundated beyond expression at
the appearance OF my first successful case
successful as far as the healing process was
concerned, but a pronounced Cyrano de
Bergerac nose. The skin had thickened the
nose did not have the support | had ex-
pected, and had dropped TO one side: in
fact. one of the most horrible looking OBJ
jects l had ever seen. l strongly suspected
my surgeon had advised him to call on me-
pulled out a dollar and handed II 10 the
negro. saying, Jim. take this dollar and
never come In TO see me again. II you ever
turn and walk I'm the opposite direction