Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1916-12-22


who could pay 10 add few free wards.
! want to tell you now, Wilson, that
the opening Of those free wards was
the greatest self-indulgence ever per
lnitted myself. I'd seen SO much care
less attention given the poor-well.
never mind that. 1t was almost three
years ago that things began to 60
wrong. lost big case"
II know. AL this doesn't influence
me. Edwardes."
"Wait a moment. We had system
in the operating room as perfect as
could devise 1t. ! never finished an
operation without having my first as
sistant verify the clip and sponge
count. But that first case died because
a sponge had beeE left in the operating
field. You know how those things 60;
you can't always see them. and one
goes by the count, after reasonable
caution. Then almost lost another
case In the same way-a free case.
"As well as l could tell. the precau-
tons had not been relaxed. was do
ing from four to SIX cases day. After
the second one almost went crazy. I
made up my mind. II there was ever
another. I'd give up and go away"
"There was another1"
"Not for several months. When the
last case died, free case again, per-
formed my own autopsy. / allowed
only my first assistant In the room. He
was almost as frenzled as was. 1t
was the same thing again. When 7
told him was going away, he offered
to take the blame himself, to say he
had closed the incision. He tried to
make me think he was responsible.
knew-better."
"It's Incredible"
Exactly; but It's true. The last pa
tient was laborer. He left family.
I've sent them money from time to
time. / used to sit and think about
the children he left, and what would
become of them. The ironic part OF 1t
was that, for all that had happened. I
was buster all the time. Men were
sending me cases from all over the
country. 1t was either stay and keep
on working, with that chance, or-quit.
quit"
"But If you had stayed, and taken
extra precautions"
"we'd taken every precautlon we
knew"
Naither of the men spoke for time.
X. stood, his tall figure outlined against
the window.
"That's the worst, is it2" Max VII.
son demanded at last.
"That's enough"
Its extremely significant You hs
an enemy somewhere-on your staff
probably. This profession Of ours is a
big one, but you know Its jealousies
Let man get his shoulders above the
crowd, and the pack Is after him." He
laughed a little. mixed figure. but
you know what I mean"
X. shook his head. He had had that
gift Of the big man everywhere, In
every profession, Of securing the loyal.
ty Of his followers. He would have
trusted every one Of them with his life
you're going to do II, Of course"
take up your work."
"Yes."
He stirred restlessly. To stay on, Il
be near Sidney. perhaps to stand BY
as Wilson's best man when she was
married-it turned him cold. But he
did not give decided negative. The
sick man was flushed and growing fret
full; 1t would not do to irritate him.
"Glve me another day on It," he said
at last. And so the matter stood.
Max's injury had been productive Of
good, In one way. II had brought thu
two brothers closer together. In tn,
mornings Max was restless until Doc
tor Ed arrived. When he came, h,
brought books In the shabby bag-hil
beloved Burns, although he needed n,
book for that, the ''Plckwick Papers
Remains Lives Of the Disciples" Yer,