The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1913-06-19
A NEW
REMEDY
By DONALD CHAMBERLlN

When graduated from the medical
college secured the position of house
surgeon at hospital had not been
there long when a man was brought
in who had fallen from scaffold. He
was dying and | told those who
brought him there that nothing could
be done for him. His brother was not
satisfied and telephoned for "a physi-
clan. DR. Black well. who stood very
high in the profession, TO come right
over. He went to work on the patient
as soon as he arrived and succeeded in
prolonging the mans life perhaps an
hour. 1t struck me that he would have
better let the man die at once instead
of prolonging the agony.
| Those connected with the dead man
complained of me to the doctor. and
before he departed he said to me pri-
vately:
Young man, never give up a patient
until he is dead. When you have tried
every remedy applicable to the case
try something that is not applicable
hot water, cold water. mustard, alcO-
hol, anything-to persuade him to be
lieve that you have not given up hope.
Such a course may carry him over the
bar and bring him into a snug harbor.
| remembered DR.. Blackwel's ad-
vice. We practiced in the same town
and occasionally ran across each other,
though he had a practice much supe-
rior to mine. However. | met young
lady whom | wished TO make my wife.
Miss Helen Stanford. and. although
| was not very well started in my pro-
fesson, | was so deeply in love that
| was not inclined TO wait. The lady's
father was of a different opinion. He
positively forbade the match-at least,
till could count on a practice Of So
900 year.
was in despair, for the best ! could
scrape together was $1,000 year, and
felt sure that ten years would be re-
quired to reach the goal. if | ever
reached it. Helen loved me, but was
fearful that If she married me she
would be drag on me instead of
helpmeet So she decided with her ia
ther.
had been turned down, there came a
! sharp ring at my telephone, and on
taking up the receiver | heard Helen's
voice
"Oh, Paul. do come at once. Father
has got ishbone in his throat and is
. struggling desperately to get it out"
/ "Tll go right around" said, and,
5 dropping the receiver, ran out to my
buggy that was standing at the door
and drove madly to their house.
On reaching there | found Mr.. Stan
ford frightened out of his wits He
was literally choking to death. | di-
S rected the family to call for another
= doctor-Blackwel if they could get
him-and then | went to work with ev-
cry device | could think of to get out
the fshbone. Nowadays they resort
to tracheotomy-that is, cutting hole
in the windpipe through which the pa
tient may breathe-but if they prac-
ticed it then | was not up to it.
thrust hooked instruments down the
throat. but somehow | couldn't get a
. purchase on the bone. Under my
= operations my patient was every mo-
ment getting more frightened and final
ly fell into such condition that could
/, not get at his throat
h Meanwhile messengers were running
hither and thither to get another doc
tor. with no luck in finding one. Then
', the advice Blackwell had given me
about never giving up hope with a pa
tient till he was dead occurred to me
t and, since l could not think of another
{ direct remedy in the case of Mr.. Stan
ford, decided to apply an indirect
remedy.
u Have you any fat ham in the
house?" | asked OF those standing
n about
g mo"
"Grease of any kind?"
1--WE have some bacon"
Bring some at once"
The bacon was brought. and. cutting
y it into small bits. | forced the patients
Il jaws apart and dropped them one by
one down into the throat.
Now, whether any of the pieces
- went down into the stomach or not
whether the fat bacon made the pa
IS tient sick. | don't know to this day
but he threw up his dinner, and witt
d it up came the fishbone.
T. Before he could even speak Mr.. Stan
ford grasped me by the hand, ant
=, when he did speak his first words
were:
u you've saved my life"
u At the moment there was ring a
the dOorbell, and in came DR.. Black
IS well, My patient pointed to me anC
repeated with difficulty that | haC
saved him. The doctor looked at tn,
e bacon fat | was wiping off my fingers
n and was about to ask what treatmen
had used when | timed him thI