Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-20
THEIR FIRST PATIENTS
STORIES TOLD BY SOME LOCAL
PHYSICIANS.
A Cyrano de Bergerac Nose - A Too
Bibulous Policeman-A Young
Doctors Success.

very amusing stories. of how they obtained
their first patient.
Every physician in practice today 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 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
life 1 had few opportunities to crafty my
desire-I started out as an assistant to a
surgeon of national reputation.
An Unfortunate Result.
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 1 assisting, nor could l secure
patients who would trust me- In the spe-
cial department of surgery my preference
was for that known plastic.
Going through the wards one day, was
highly pleased and interested on seeing
negro sitting by his bed, with one of the
greatest deformitieS that could happen to
| mankind-a loss of the nose. 1 examined
the condition very carefully, thought over
the authorities l had read on the subject
and informed the patient that could easily
make him a new nose of any form deS. red
l asked him what shape he preferred
Roman African pug. He replied that 1t
did not make any difference, SO that the
hole in his face was covered. Next morn
ing l 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 l was
not yet competent to do such work, and
frr LOT tlA ti.,, oil nnJi11
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, l saw my OPP
portunity and calling in consultation three
or four medical students. chums of NINE
and having received the consent of the pa
tent we took him to the operating room.
chloroformed him. when l made the opera
ton known the Indian method. Select
ing leaf a 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 made, the flap for the new
nose formed, pulled down and placed over
the chasm producing the deformity. Cot
ton was inserted under the flap to elevate
the new nose and keep it in position.
Il felt very proud and highly elated over
the result, and anxiously awaited the re-
turn of my surgeon, to prove to him that l
was competent to undertake even the most
delicate operation On his return, how
expected him to be, and gave me scoldng
in the SevereSt terms. at the same time ad-
monishing me to wait and see my result
that 1t was too early to judge from appear
ances.
shortly afterward l came to Washing
ton to locate, and within a few weeks one
of my visitors was the negro operated
upon, and 1 was Inundated beyond express
sion at the appearance of my first success
full case. Successful far as the healing
process was concerned. but a pronounced
Cyrano de Bergerac nose. The skin had
thickened the nose did not have the sup
port l had expected, and had dropped to
one side; In fact, one of the most horrible
looking objects had ever seen. / strongly
suspect my surgeon had advised him to call
on me- l was not very flush at that time,
but 1 pulled out a dollar and handed 1t to
the negro saying, Jim, take this dollar
and never come in to see me again. II you
ever see me on the street. be kind enough
to turn and walk In the opposite direction
And really whenever 1 saw the negro l
would Immediately turn in the opposite d.
rection, and have no DESIRE even until the
present day, to witness my first case, my
first plastic operation"
A Bibulous Officer.
my first case" said another well-known
physician, was an amputatiOn, and that l
was summoned was due entirely to my
proximity to the place of the accident. 1t
was late, about o'clock, and there was no
other physician near, and 1t is to those IA
voring circumstances owe my first case.
"a policeman, at present well known in
this city. came for me and hurried me to
the scene. The patient had caught his
hand in a fly-wheel. and his arm was
crushed to the elbow. An immediate
putation was necessary. But not knowing
the nature of the case when summoned
and having departed hurriedly. l had
brought only pocket case, and did not
have the necessary instruments for the
In the room l broke it open and secured
saw and with this accomplished the am
putation.
During the operation 1 sent the police
man for some whisky, and he soon returned
with quart bottle. l administered a few
teaspoonfuls to my patient and laughinaly
told the policeman to help himself when
ever he felt faint. He was a brawny Irish
man. and his occupation should have de-
stroyed any squeamsh weakness he might
possess. But it was marvellous the number
of times he felt 1t necessary to resort to
the bottle. and at the end of the operation
the bottle was empty and the cop was glor-
ious
However. am glad to say that my pa
tient recovered and my operation was sue
cessful.''
And the policeman
He is still here. Only the other day 1
was summoned to attend him. and we both
laughed over the memory of my first case"
A Successful Case.
Il well remember my first case" said
another. for 1t came to me only after long
and anxious waiting At the beginning OF
my career l settled near the hospital where
| was an externe, to practice there during
intervals in my professional duties. But
the presence of several old physicians in
the neghborhood, together with my ex-
tremely youthful and inexperienced appear
ance. handicapped me- and l was COM
PEELED to spend most of my time at the hos
pital. AS this work was purely gratis il
gave little material satisfaction.
But one day small boy in the neigh
borhood undertook to fly a kite. and to
facilitate the operation climbed upon the
roof of the shed kitchen. In his enthus-
iasm he fell, sustaining compound frac-
ture of the thigh and a fracture of the
outer table of the skull. AS none of the
other doctors were in l was summoned as
a last resort.
Upon my arrival l found the mother
and father of the injured boy away and six
women in attendance who watched with
great anxiety every movement of the boy
doctor. When l administered the chloro
form they, with one voice cried out
Don't kill him. AT last. ins desperation, 1
| turned all but one of them out of the room
and we finished the operation.
Il attended to his skull and put the leg
In a plaster of Paris mold. After having