Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-05-07
DAILY SHORT STORY
A Surgical Device.

graduating class of the College of Ply
Sicians and Surgeons, "let me impress
upon you one caution. When you have
done everything in your power for
patient with the hope of benefit, never
cease to apply some new device, no
| matter how little connection it may
have as a remedy with the disease. BY
this course you will gain time, retain
the confidence of the patient and keep
him from sinking into despair"
The great surgeon bowed to the class
as an announcement that his address
was finished, and the members before
| passing out each waited his turn TO
take his preceptor by the hand. One
hung back till the others had all left.
"Dr. Kenworthy," lie said, 'for the
last time 1 ask your consent. 1 have
no desire to rob you of the daughter
you love, nor will she marry me with
out your leave. 1 hope you will not
continue your opposition"
81 shall have no opposition to make
when you have built up practice"
The young man departed, sorrowful;
the doctor took UP his hat and went TO
the hospital to perform a critical oper-
alton.
travelling in the west and stopped in
little town in the Rocky mountains.
Being troubled with Indigestion, he
took vial from his satchel, held the
bottle in one hand, n spoon in the 9th
err, and, drawing the cork with his
teeth, held it there while he dropped
the medicine in the spoon. violent
hiccough caused him to relax his hold
| Il = fiV,NN Il w
it into his windpipe. In few minutes
the household, having been summoned
by a violent pull at the bell, were gath
cred about the doctor.
DIR. Kenworthy of course knew very
we'll what should be done in his case,
but with the cork in his windpipe, pur-
pie in the face. his eyes bulginS out or
their sockets, he was not only unable
to articulate, but his faculties were
momentarily impaired. The country
doctor got the patient into chair and
began n succession of efforts to ex-
tract the cork. They were not success
full, and it began to look as if the end
was near. Suddenly the mountain
practitioners eye lighted as if with
new hope. Throwing down his forceps
and his hooks, he showed by his eX-
pressive countenance every indication
that he had solved the problem The
| bystanders wondered by what new
method the doctor was about to win
success, and the patient looked at him
wonderingly.
Take off his coatP' cried the younger
doctor imperatively. Two attendants
seized DR.. Kenworthy and raised him
violently, while the landlord Invested
him of his upper garment.
"Off with his collar!'
This, too, was accomplished with the
haste and energy of despair fringed
with hope.
"Some beeswaXp'
The house was hunted. but no bees
wax found. The landIady brought in
some honey, which as soon as the coun-
try doctor saw it he exclaimed joy
fully:
1.-The very thing; far better than
beeswax; more soothing; more to my
purpose"
Dipping his fingers into the dish, he
broke off piece of the comb. the cells
filled with honey. and began rubbing
it upon Dr.. Kenworthy's throat.
Now. the great surgeon was so thor
oughly cogniZant that rubbing honey
comb on q mans throat for the pur-
pose of eXpelling a cork from his wind
pipe was so useless. the idea was so SUI |
premely ridiculous. that had he been |
able lie would have burst into fit of |
laughter He did the next thing; he |
laughed inwardly. Whether this inter |
nal mirth relaxed the muscles or his |
coughings had by this time loosened |
the cork, or both. no man. not even the |
great surgeon himself. could tell, but |
the fact remains that the stopper slip |
ped from its place. and the patient |
spat it out on the floor.
For few minutes the relieved man
was so overwhelmed with congratula-
tions that he was unable to get in
word. The village doctor showed
more than ordinary interest in his pa
tent by sinking into a chair and draw
ing a few long breaths of relief. AS |
soon as Dr. Kenworthy could escape
from a clamor of congratulations he
said to the village physician:
Doctor, have practiced and taught
surgery for thirty years. l am famil-
lar with every newly discovered device
for relieving a patient from an OBJ
struction in the larnyx or the esopha-
gus, but never have 1 before heard OF
rubbing the patients throat with hon.
ey. Will you kindly inform me of the
connection between the remedy and
the cure?"
"Dr. Kenworthy," replied the village
doctor, you do not seem to recognize
me-"
The surgeon took from his vest peck
ct a nearsighted glass and surveyed
his preserver.
upon my word-you are not-you
cannot-be"-
Eyes, am. 1 listened to your ad-
dress to our class the day we were
graduated, and 1 have not forgotten
your advice never to cease applying
some device to a patient in danger. no