The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-07-01
By ALBERT cIITTENDEN


an excellent hospital in a suburban
town where | knew some people. and
was advised to take the examination
for the position of house surgeon.
which was vacant. did so and failed.
The question that turned the scale
against me was this:
when you have done everything In
your power for patient. what is the
next stepY'
Having a vein of satirical humor In
me, l answered the question in this
wise:
'Get rid of him by sending him on
trip"
saw by the grim looks OF the exam
liners that | had lost The man who
got the position answered the question
In this wise
TRY something new even II it has
no apparent connection with the pa
tents ailment To cease your efforts
indicates to him that You have aban-
doned him. TO continue them gives
him the benefit of hope. Besides, we
must never give up patient till be is
dead"
While was struggling for a prac-
tice l one day received hurry call to
see q child who had got a coin In his
windpipe. He was but four years old
and. having been given the coin, was
30 delighted that he had put 1t In his
mouth and started across the street to
buy candy with 1t. Forgetting It, he
breathed 1t In.
When ] reached the patient found
two or three doctors. had been call.
ed several hours before, but when the
message came was not in my Office
The Oldest and foremost doctor OF
those present was Or. Gibbs. who ten
years before had fioored me on exami-
nation by asking me what should be
done when everything had been done
He didn't remember me. and l was
glad he didn't, for / dreaded to meet
him.
! found these doctors In the very po-
Eition indicated by that question. They
had done everything that could be
DONE but they hadn't removed the
coin from the child's throat Or. Gibbs
appeared to be the most respondent
Of the lot. Assuming fierce tone. ]
said:
What are you gentlemen doing here.
standing about and holding your
hands2 Are you going to let the child
die Of strangulationT
My remarks were made to all the
doctors present. but as / spoke look
ed daggers at DR.. Gibbs
We've tried everything" he said.
well. sir. what's the next thing I'd
d EheR yea'ye tried everything"
perhaps ron Gun fsfr Ccss. he fetoFts
"a tartly.
EYES, sir; ] can. When a doctor has
tried everything and all things have
failed It Is his duty to try something
else, no matter how remote 1t may
seem from the patients ailnentv
swell" asked DR.. Gibbs. ''what do
vcu guggestT'
Desperate cases need desperate
remedies"
made three steps toward the child,
took him up. LAID him across my knee
with bis head down and began to
spank him numerically. He yelled,
and before | had given him twenty
blows ont came an old fashioned cop
per cent. It fell on the floor, rolled
ia q circle and turned on its side.
was never so astonished In my life.
! had had no idea Of getting rid OF the
obstruction. ! had only wished to
beat at his own game the man who
had kept me out Of q position which
might have enabled me to start prac-
tice. Rut now that had succeeded I
resolved to push on further.
There, gentlemen" / said, 'syou
have I'D instance Of the Importance Of
never giving up case. Perhaps sue
ness Ia this case was not to be expect
ID from my expedient, but
Success was to be expected" ex-
claimed one OF the doctors. tits a
wonder that we who were here before
you didn't think OF 1t. The spanking
induced in the child an emotion which
called into play certain muscles. relax
ing others. The head being inverted,
the obstruction. which was loosened by
this relaxation, was bound to come
out"
Or. Gibbs advanced toward me and
put out his hand.
II haven't the honor OF your ac-
uuaintance, DOCTOR he said, ebut | do
not hesitate to say that you have in
you that resource which eminently fits
Jon for your profession. shall write
up your device used In this case in the
Tablet. to which contribute, and IL
there IS anything else can do for you
don't hesitate to call on me"
| didn't need to call on him. He and
the other doctors who had been pres.
ent published abroad my expedient.
tried when the patient had been given
up, and so simple that 1t was won
der none Of them had thought Of 1t.
| am now an elderly man. | have
often been solicited TO take a place on
some examining board. but have al.
ways resolutely declined. My faith In
erud:tion has been sapped by my own
case. II | should ask candidate
what be should do with child having
q cent in his windpipe should expect
him to answer:
Spank him"
This would never do. II would be
little the profession. and the next child
spanked might refuse to dlsgorge the
obstruction