Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1917-03-28
A NEW REMEDY.
CBy Donald Chamberlin)

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.. Blackwell 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
proonging 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 thu dead man
complained of me to the doctor, and
before he departed he said to me pri-
vately:
Young man, never give up 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 course may carry him over the
bar and bring him into n snug harbor."
remembered DR. Blackwell's ad-
vice. We practiced in the same town
and occasionally ran across each other,
though he had practice much supe-
rior to mine. However, l met young
lady whom / wished to make my wife.
Miss Helen Stanford. and, although
| was not very well started in my pro-
fession, was so deeply in love that
/ was not inclined to wait. The lady's
| father was of different opinion. He
positively forbade the match-at least.
till could count on practice Of So
600 year.
was in despair, for the best l could
scrape together was $1,000 year. and
| I felt sure that ten years would be re-
quired to reach the goal. If l ever
reached it. Helen loved me. but was
fearful that If she married me she
would be a drag on me instead of .
helpmeet. So she decided with her ia
Their.
One evening, about year after l
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 a fishbone In his throat and is
struggling desperately to get it out"
'T'l go right around" said. and,
| dropping the receiver ran ont 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-
! rected the family to call for another
doctGr-Blackwell If they could get
| him--and then l went to work with ev;
cry device l could think of to get out
the fishbOne. Nowadays they resort
to tracheotomy-tha is. cutting a 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 Ey patient was every mo-
ment getting more frightened and final
~ fell into such condition that | could
not get at his throat
Meanwhile messengers were running
hther and thither to get another doe
tor. with no luck in finding one Then
| the advice Blackwell had given me
about never giving up hope with pa
tent till he was dead occurred to me,
and. since could not think Of another
direct remedy in the case of Mr.. Stan
ford. decided to apply an indirect
remedy.
''Have you any fat ham in the
house" asked of those standing
about.
mo"
Grease of any kind"
I'VE have some bacon"
Bring some at once"
The bacon was brought. and. cutting
it into small bits, forced the patients
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
tent sick. ! don't know to this day
but he threw up his dinner. and with
it up came the fishbOne.
Before he could even speak Mr.. Stan
ford grasped me by the hand. and
when he did speak his first words
were:
you've saved my life"
At the moment there was a ring al
the doorbell. and in came DR.. Black
we'll My patient pointed to me ant
repeated with difficulty that | hat
saved him. The doctor looked at the
bacon fat was wiping off my fingers
and was about to ask what treatment
had used when | tipped him thu
wink
81 used an emetic. doctor" ] said
expanding the throat"
Every right" said the doctor. Jus
the thing"
| DR.. Blackwell and | went out to
gether. and when we were alone h'
looked at me for an explanation. | re
minded him OF the advice he had giver
me at the hospital and how 4 ,hat
| Ia. mi "A