Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1917-04-26

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s'taoly. The secret Is out. Everybody
nov who you are And now. because
q boy who wouldn't have lived any
how"
That's not It," X. put In hastily. II
Know all that. I guess I could do II
and get away with it as well as the
average. All that deters me-rve never
u you. have I. why I gave up be.
foret'
wilson was propped up In his bed.
Il. was walking restlessly about the
room, as was his habit when troubled.
I've heard the gossip; that's ALL"
"You know what / always felt about
the profession, Max. We went into
that more than once In Berlin. Either
ones best or nothing. l had done
pretty well. When l left Torch and
built my hospital, l hadn't a doubt
OF myself. And because l was getting
results l got a lot of advertising. Men
began coming to the clinics. l found l
was making enough out of the patients
who could pay to add u few free wards.
J want to tell you now, Wilson. that
the opening OF those free wards was
the greatest self-indulgence l ever per-
mitted 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 so
wrong. / lost a big case"
II know. All this doesn't influence
ME Edwarles."
wait Il moment. We had a system
In the operating room as perfect as l
could devise it, | never finished an
operation without having my first MS.
Slstalit verify the clip and sponge
count. but that first case died because
q sponge had been left In the operating
field. You know how those things 90;
you can't always see them, and one
goes by the count, after reasonable
cnution. Then | almost lost another
case in the same way--a free case.
AS well rs / could tell. the preeau-
lions had not been relaxed. | was do
lns from four TO six cases Il day. After
the second one | almost went crazy. |
made up my mind, ii there was ever
another, I'd give up and so away"
There was nuother:'
Not for several months. When the
last case died. a free case again, | per-
formed my W autopsy. | allowed
only my first assistant in the room. He
was almost as frenzied as l was. 1t
was the same thing again. When l
told him | was going away, he offered
10 take the blame himself. to say he
had closed the incision. He tried to
make ,nc think he was responsible. l
Anew-better."
ITS Incredible"
Exactly; but it's true. The last pu.
tient was u laborer. He left a family.
I've sen 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 it
was that. for all that had huppencd, /
wa 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"
wed taken every %precaution we
knew"
Neither of the men spoke for n time.
X. stood. his tall figure outlined against
the window.
"That's the worst. is TT" Max VII.
son demanded at last.
THAT'S enough"
'It's extremely significant. You hA.
an enemy somcwhcre-on your staff.
probably. This profession Of ours is a
tig one, but You know Its j~ealousles.
Let O man get his shoulders above the
crowd, and the pack Is after him." He
laughed a little. "Afixcd figure, but
you know what | mcan."
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 n Of them with his life
you're going to do 1t. Of course"
'1Take up your work.
ayes"
He stirred r~estlessly. To stny on. b
be near Sidney. perhaps to stnnd b,
Ms Wilson's best man when she wa,
marriedA-it turned him cold. But HI
did not give n decided negative. Thu
sick man was flushed and growing fret
full; Il would not do to irrltate him.
"Giye me another day on It," he sale
ut last. Aud 30 the matter stood.
Max's injury had been productive o.
good, III one way. It had brought tn,
two brothers closer together. In tn,
mornings Max was restless until Doc
tor I'D arrived. When he came, b,
brought books In the shabby bag--hil
beloved Burns, although he needed n,
book for that. the 'Pickwlck Papers,
Romans Lives Of the Disciples" Yer!
often Max would dOxc on; but at th,
cessation Of Doctor Eds sonorouI
voice the sick nun would stir fretfull!
and dcmnnd more. II pleased the oldcl
pinn vastly. It reminded hin, Of Max
boyhood. when he had read to Max a
ulgiit. For once In the last dozel
years ~ needed him.
.Co on, I'd. What 10 blazcs mako,
sou utsp every Ave mlnutesr Max pro
tseled. ono day.
Doctor "a, who had only stopped I,
bite ~ The end Of a stogle to hold Il
III eteek, picked up his book In +,
Auefy, ind eyed the Invalid over Il.