The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-04-18
WATCHES SURGEONS
ANPUTATt HIS LEG
Patient in a Denver Hospital
Displays Remarkable Forth
tude During Operation.

DENVER, Col, April lin the sur
gical ward at the county hospital lies
man whQs though spepniless and
alone, may we'll rank along with he
roes of the present day as one of
them. He is Alfred e Blake a young
Engishman Of thirty odd years. With
in the last month his na1ne has be-
come a noted one in the medical world
on account Of the brave manner in
Which he has gone through two opera
! tons, the like of which have never
been performed upon any man with a
broken back beTore.
About four and cne-half years ago.
shortly after coming to America from
England. Blake fell from a three story
window in the Bond block, and after
striking on an umbrella stand, broke
his back in three places. Three Of
the vertebrate had to be removed He
was taken to the county hospital, and
for many months he lazy there, never
free from suffering. But despite this
fact, he was one of the most cheer
full persons in the surgical ward. Ow
ing to the accident to his back, both
Of his lower limbs were practically
useless.
He left the hospital, but was never
able to be without an attendant. Some
times he was inclined to become pessi-
mistic, as he had learned the art of
illustrating and had hoped he would
have sufficiently recovered to have TAX
en- a position. Up until about three
months ago She struggled along, doing
odd jobs, going from place to place in
a wheeled chair. Then, unable to
stand the strain any longer, he went
back to the county hospital.
He became possessed with the idea
that if he could only have his paralyz-
ed limbs amputated he could get cork
ones to replace them and in time be
able to get about like other men and
be independent once more He talked
with several doctors about it, but they
all declared that such an operation
would be fatal to the patient, that it
would be of the utmost danger to any
man, but that it could not fail to be
fatal to Blake, on. account of his brol-
en- back.
But Blake persisted He sent for Dr.
Leonard Freeman and told him that he
would far rather die in an attempt at
getting well than, to live on forever
a hopeless burden to everyone.
DR.. Freeman. finally agreed to am
putate one of Blake's limbs. So the
left limb was taken off about three
inches from the thigh on March 8.
Greatly to the surprise of all concern
ed, he came out from under the anaes-
thetic in a marvellous manner. After
this operation had been-So successfully
performed, Blake would hear to moth
ing but that his other limb should be
amputated, and what was more. he in
sisted that he would see the second OPP
Grafton take place. ..... ain.
Once more this man was. put upon
the operating table, No anaesthetic
was administered, there was no CO.
caine, no freezing INC thing-and Blake
looked on unfIinchingly While the skill
ed hands of DR.. Leonard Freeman sew
cred his second limb from his body.
And" said Blake, in speaking of the
occurrence, IF you want to give a
humorous touch to the story, you can
truthfully add that in twenty minutes
later I was eating a beefsteak."
The doctors and nurses at the coHn-
ty hospital all say that they have new
er before seen anything to compare
with the marvellous endurance of this
man. They say that he is no unneces-
sary care to anyone, but that he is al
ways CHEEKY and seemingly happy.
What a poor little piece of man I
am, anyhow" said Blake. But 1
won't always be. Hurrah for the man
who invented corki"