The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-03-18

Continued From Fourth Page.

continued from fourth rage.
most frequently the whole topic OF
conversation Is of the pleasant times
when we all lived AT Phoenix | do
not mean that this was the only place
in Eeweenaw co. where this same con-
dition OF communal friendship exist
ed, for ! am certain IL was the same
at the Clin and Central
When necessity compelled me In
leave Phoenix | was very loath To do
80. and II was "A long time before /
became reconciled To my new field Of
work, for the conditions were 50
changed in that the communal condl-
tion was entirely wanting. IL cannot
be expressed any better than the fol-
lowing which heard an old lady ans
wer when che, Was asked Az To her
neighbors in Chicago. "Ah what no
one knows their neighbors In city.
They may all die ana We not concern
ourselves about them" ! often felt
he lack of professional intercourse.
but endeavored To overcome this by
study and occasional trips TO some
medical center and thus preserve my
interest i'm my work. Isolated as I
was from professional assistance.
frequently hesitated To undertake SER
lous operations when ] only had lay
people To assist me even to the giving
of an anesthetic. bnt when life was in
the balance ! did not hesitate.
! will relate one more incident which
illustrates the above situation.
In March, 1880, ] was called To see
! a man who was suffering intense pain
in the abdomen. high temperature,
| rapid pulse and all conditions To a
very serious Illness. on examination
! found he had IA well marked ten
derness and decided swelling in the
right side of his abdomen. Appendix
| citis at that time was "a subject prac.
tically unknown. A short time be
| fore DIR. Willard Parker of New York.
had published several cases which he
| called Perityphilitic Abscess and which
we now know as appendicitis abscess.
He advised incision and drainage as
being the rational treatment. This
article called out much discussion and
many opposed ii as being too danger
out this entering the abdominal cav
lty where the chances Of doing harm
were much greater than the pros
pective good | explained to my pa.
| tient the exact nature of his condition
and what | hoped to accomplish by an
operation. He accepted the situation.
| | had no professional assistance. the
| thetst, Mr.. Trembath. the mine clerk,
and "A neighbor of the patient The
present rules of asepsis were then un-
known, but IL was known that clean
| Illness with the use of some chemical
germicidc would materially assist in
obtaining better results ] carefully
clit down over the mass and opened
into an abscessi cavity. After evacu-
lating the pms, the cavity,wa drained
| with a wick of sauZe. .tThnI patient
made an excellent recovery and is Yet
living In this cvunty. may have been
uverbold. but felt the dangers Of the
| situation. required what in those days
was considered a bold measure Again
| II may have been luck" but the same
procedure has been and is today. fol-
| lowed by many recoveries.
! The writing Of the foregoing has
been IA pleasant resume of my tim"
spent Keweenaw county and hope
il has not been too tiresome In list
ening Ia IT,
Many other interesting circumstance
rs might have been given, hut this
paper Is already too long, and for fear
Of firing your patience. ! will end
here.