The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-10-04
QUEER SENSATION
How 1t Feels to Go Under the In
fIuenCe OF ChIoroform.
THE DIZZY DIVE INTO SLEEP.
And After the Surgical Operation Is
Over the Confused Awakening That
Brings Torture to the Patient From
the Terrible Thirst That Follows.


In the American Magazine IA writer
wildly reports the sensations he had
at the time he was operated on for
appendicitis Following is his account
Of the sensations he experienced as he
went under the anaesthetic
Don't let them begin cutting too
soon have since learned that this in
junction by the patient was not origi-
nal with me. They all say it.
N.Y. anaesthetist assures that he
won't.
This is pleasant, being chlorofOrmed
if only the chl0rofOrm would take
effect, Evidently you are a hard sub
iect to put under You hope that they
are interpreting the difficulty Per
haps they are, for they seem to be
working more persistently, and the
wafty odors are somewhat increased.
But all that is accomplished is to make
your ears buzz, interfering with the
point of the funny story which your
anaesthetist is now telling to the
nurses.
"'Sheel heepy,' You warn. Not
chlor'form, though. JUS tired
"'All right responds your anaesthe-
tist No hurry
The little room is very quiet. With
out. in the corridors, are careless laugh
ter, patter of busy feet but, within, a
small silent circle is gravely watching
that wondrous and merciful trans
formation of quick and sentient be
ing into living corpse
"'Shleep minute. Wait-bit Not
ready
The buZzing is annoying; it gives
dizzy sensation. Aside from that, your
eyes and tongue together are delicious
ly heavy. and you simply have got to
take little nap.
"G'by. Dont-start. Canfeelyet.'
"You will have to depend upon the
other persons In the room to keep the
surgeons away while you are helpless
ly doing. They will, won't they!
Meanwhile the blackness behind your
closed eyes is curiously scintillant with
flat sparks The buZZing of swarming
bees in your ears is terrific And as
you gaze and listen, with sudden sick
ening swoop. you have slipped from
the pallet and headlong plunge down,
Struggling paving, fighting for
way. you rise ont of the depths OF the
Icarian dive and break the surface.
Like butterflies the white caps and
sweet faces of nurses iutter above
YOU. Your eyes refuse 10 focus, and
YEARLY you must close them What's
the matter. what has happened, where
are YOU. and why? Why is a mousc2
You stammer with thick utterance, APP
pealing generally.
Wherein ~
"1n your room
This is to be dlgested a moment.
Then abruptly poignant alarm as
sails The question quavers weakly.
fearfully.
But they haven't done it yety
"'Oh. yes. The nurses voice tinkles
seraphic. IT'S all over with
Thank God! And you're alive. The
lady who married you must be SO IN
formed at once
"'What time is IT,
"Eleven o'clock
"Jerusaleml Four hours obllterated
wiped of the mental map. leaving
trace Of not even a dreaml Impossible.
or is this itself but a dream; You
would like 10 explore that spot to see
II the news is really true, but you dare
not LEST You wake yourself mp In the
midst of the operation Aud rs You
again open your mouth. in sickly,
babyish fashion, the minstering angel
in white cap deity inserts an ambros-
ial swab-icy cold, wet and grateful
as a drop Of water TO Dives. When
YOU shut down upon II as feverishly
as a starving kitten she says: Don't
do that Don't swallow any. 1t win
make you sick This diverts you.
"Cant ! have n drink
ayes. I'll give you n drink And
so she does-a teaspoonful Of hot wa
ter. which am instructed TO swallow
slowly.
1T has about rs much effect on that
tarred and feathered tongue as a drop
Of dow on n hip rubber boot
This IS a new occupation waiting
for that tcaspoonfnl Of hot water which
arrives every half hour Ones thoughts
dwell upon It and one listens eagerly
for the nurses step returning; ones
month opens in advance. like nesting
brides. To such a plane is reduced n
once strong mind.
"In the midst Of this humiliating pas
time the lady who married me enters
umidly. half smilingly. half tearfully.
Dearest she says. how are youy
"'Fine,' | say. Listen. Come closer.
Let us sing Little Drops OF Water
THE nurse makes her withdrawal,
tnd she goes blanched, because she
Ieems me crazed 10y my experiences Of
the past ten hours.
THE dose is doubled TO two teaspoon
fnis at time Nevertheless DESPITE