Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-09-23

operating. He had word sent to Dir.
! that an emergency case was on for
immediate attention. At once the
machinery of ST Philips was got in
motion for life and death battle
| Not five minutes after Bradford
had been carried into the hospital
| he had been stripped and etherized
| his wound had been scrubbed up"
and made specifically sterile, and
! he had been laid upon the steel and
glass operating table, Face down
they laid him, with ether boots
protecting his feet and legs, u
| blanket over him from the waist
| down, and his finely nuscied torso
naked. His head was turned to the
right. so that he might breathe as
freely as possible and run no un-
necessary risk of being choked by
the blood that bnbbled out with each
labored exhalation--bright, arterial
blood foamy and vivid.
The two surgeons. with rubber
gloves on their hands, white linen
caps on their heads and their whole
bodies covered with linen cassocks,
We're now making the final prepara-
tions before getting TO work. Nurses
moved about. silent and efficient,
bringing instrument trays from the
sterilizing room, arranging dressings
on the wheeled stands. doing all that
had to be done with calm, neryeless
precision. The sickly oior OF ether
filled the room. An unusually high
tension OF alertness made itself felt,
for this was no routine case. easy to
handle and sure OF result, but n stern
fight against that dread enemy, in
ternal hemorrhage.
Bad, very bad indeedt" murmured
Tressor, Observing the wound under
the glare of the broad north expo
SIRE skylieht overhead. "A fearful
stab. six inches deep at the very
ieast--inaybe seven or eight. We've
got fighting chance with this man,
that's ALL"
| "rhe superficial wound, of course,
is trivial" commented Hutchinson.
~ few stitches would close that. If
we had nothing, else to consider"
"Of course: hut the real damage is
iuttIHi'l,s ue luHS lhnono Aiuct oS
badly involved He pointed at the
bloody froth that with a crepitant
sound issued from the cash as fast
las he wiped 1t away. He's bled
terribly, already, and it's still going
on. IT'S all question OF keeping up
his blood supply till the styptic ac-
ton OF the blood can begin to check
the flow--if that's possible now.
| These cases usually go out from loss
of blood
"And there's always septicemia to
reckon on, later, as a possibility.
What's the procedure here? We
can't get in there to tie off any
blood vessels Sew it up and take
chances 2"
NO" answered Tressor. Its SO
grave think I'll have to pack 1t, and
leave 1t open" He beckoned nurse
who had just entered from the ster-
| flizing room with large tray con-
| tanning syringe and antiseptic fluid
ut body heat. for cleansing the wound.
"Alf ready!r said he crisply. Right
here on this stand, please
The nurse obeyed. then stock back.
at attention, on the left side of the
table, her gray blue eyes watchful,
her hair drawn smoothly down UNI
derneath her starched white cap. The
others took their places. The opera
ton. practically hopeless, was about
| to begin. ti 4ss,F, -
Tressor. without looking up. COM
manded:
mot on that side. Round here.
please. Keep his mouth free from
blood. We don't want any strangu-
lation here!"
The nurse took q pledget Of cotton
and walked round the head OF the
patient to the right side. Then, as
she. caught sight OF Bradford's face,
she stopped short, with look of ter
ror in her widening, eyes. The pledget
dropped from her hand. ALI the coll
or faded from her cheeks.
"Oh, Cod!" she cried, In a strange,
choking voice.
DIR. Tressor frowned blackly, with
out looking up.
| "Order!" he exclaimed. I'VE must
have discipline here. II you can't
control your nerves. you are dis
missed
| Pardon me, doctor, lin all
fright now answered the nurse.
With tight drawn lips and set face
she took a. fresh pledget of cotton
and began her duty.
(To be continued.)