Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1908-12-10

woman, without a single spiritual
struggle-wearing these restraints as
Samson wore his chains. But some
thing less than six months ago I met
a woman"
The young clergyman paused. throw
ing his head back against the green
baize OF the easy-chair In which he
sat For moment l thought he had
tainted. and sprang for a cordial: hut
without taking his slowly opaping
eyes from the ceiling. he motioned me
back, and continued. while an indie
scribably sweet and almost transfig-
uring smile lit his pale face:
"A woman, said I? An angel, A vi
sion OF uanscendent levsliness! She
came into my life as a new star comes
across the disk OF an Astronomers tel
escope, shedding Its undiscovered light
from eternity for him alone. O NV
ethel! My angel, ~ Inns yearn
toward yours. my arms grope out ia
clasp you'll My Godl What am I say
ing?"
Inc young priest spTang from his
chair and stod trembling before me.
His face was livid with the exercise
OF some tremendous mental effort. and
could see that the white nails of his
elenched hands we're driven deep In
TO the r1esh. For a full minute he
stood thus, and then his strong frame
relaxed, and he sank back into his
chair, white as the paper on which 1
write. and weak as a babe.
I CfQnnad ~ kho
up into the gray sky, as If looking for
solution of my perplexity. But my
mind remained as blank as the dull
expanse above the city roofs Was this
man Insane, or was he really, as he
said, In his right mind? Could the
force OF mere amorous passion for a
beautiful woman so carry away one
of his character unless the mans men
tai integrity was impaired? l turned
suddenly, in response to the young
clergyman's voice. He had risen, and
was advancing toward me.
DO you believe in phreRol0gy. DR..
Marstonf"
Most assuredly I do not"
VIII you perform an experiment
upon me to test the reasonableness Of
your doubt?"
DO you mean by that, will I as-
sumo your case surgioallyf''
Exactly"
l turned to the window again. Here
was certainly an opportunity TO con-
tribute something to the discussion of
vexed scientific question. Are the
functions of the brain localized In Its
structure?
We'll. will you take the case2"
The clergyman's hand was on my
shoulder. 1 turned and looked him
squarely In the face. els II under
stood that you assume all the risk,
and that you do not hold me respon.
sihle for the psychological result of an
experiment which, SO far as 1 am con-
cerned. Is purely physical in its char
acter?"
Certainly. We will have it SO un-
derstood''
Then you may call at my office TO-
morrow morning at IL. Eat light
breakfast. and, as far as possible,
avoid excitement OF every kind"
1t seemed strange instruction to be
giving a clergyman; but the young
man understood and nodded approval.
In a few minutes he took his depart
ure, and ! returned to my Medical
Journal-but not to read.
Precisely at IL o'clock the next
morning my singular patient walked
into the office.
Five minutes later my patient, d.
vested of coat, vest and collar, lay
stretched on the operating table. In
five minutes more he was under the
influence Of ether.
My first procedure was to shave the
dark, soft, silken hair from the lower
part of the young mans head. / then
made two V-shaped missions with a
lancet at the base of the skull, where
phrenologists locate the organ of ANA
dveness, and raised the flap of skin
from the skull The next thing was to
get at the brain itself, and this &C
complished by boring two fine holes
through the skull with the smallest
trephine known in surgery. The por-
ton of the brain thus exposed, was
amazed to find, was in a highly in
famed condition. Instead of attempt
ing to relieve the surcharged brain
with any instrument, I now placed a
leech at each orifice, and allowed a
considerable amount of blood to be
thus withdrawn. l then dressed the
wound antiseptically, and closed it
with sutures.
My patient soon came out from IN
der the influence of the anesthetic, but
appeared very weak. l lifted him in
my arms and carried him to the couch
in my private room. Enjoining strict
quiet, and. If possible, sleep, left him
alone for q couple Of hours. At the
end of that time, considering 1t safe
to permit him to talk, re-entered the
room with considerable curiosity, not
to say agitation, and asked him how
he was feeling. To my astonishment,
he grasped my hand warmly, exclaim-
ing that he would consider me his
greatest benefactor as long as he lived.
For" he cried, you have saved my
soul from its otherwise certain ruin.
Thank Godl feel now no more emo