Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1922-10-13
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.
The
$4,000 Operation
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS,
Sy HUBERT RAY

'"''' was Difference pvrn ;, a.,
'"''' "t the anrSthetlst and j.,
/ way he d"f,'rrntiullv p,o..J ,,., ,,,'
!, VIZ. F"ihrringay's nose for
>, was N'"lhD operation, and AIR
>, may was tnany times mil.
| lionairc. "i'i
,"'t was Mr.. Fotherinray that
n"'A lying unconscious upon tbp ,,l,s.
''pPeu table: that bloat.d bulk or :,
t"""' 10 operate upon whom prof.s.,r
oPehhiih had been summoned hy .,.
cial train from Chicago
The table containing the in,,i,,.,,.
i'''' vi PROFESSOR bp-nhim's pntien,
WAS wheeled int" tI- operating thea.
! Ter adjoining. The benches w.r.
packed with Ser"uS-f:,ced s,,I.n,.
anu many medical men of th,. ,.;,r
VII" had assembled to seq so,u,,hiny
removed from tn. stomach of Ar
F"thrringav.
Mr. f"th"ringay had sw,II,,v.d :,
small. hard. round metallic objr,.t =,
Hi"'!l The N-ray had revealed, Thor.
II lay III Mr, t"th"ringay's stomach in.
''ri'rinG with the Processes OF Ill;
s'N'ih: lobster Il LII Newbur- and
o'her viandS such us are prepared rnr
men of Mr.. tothrringay's Social p,si.
tion
HOW did you come to swallow
mat! the surgeon had asked Mr..
Fotheringay.
Must have been biting it," Mr.
Fotheringay responded.
The Iybita-rnIa1 r,,,.,>. ...o..
n n, 9 solid phalanx about the operating
liable. At least half dozen Of Pro.
IessSr openhIm,s assistants were
present to assist: One lad 10 hold
the forceps, another Inserted sponges
IN the wound that was to be inflicted
upon Mr. Fotheringay. Others were
simply there to lend prestige to Pro
lessor Openhim and to dignity the duy
for 1t was a $4,000 operation.
MIR. FOtheringny was we'll known In
the city, not only rs the richest man,
but rs the biggest skintint imagjn.
able. He was the sort of man who
would forecloSe on Il widows mort.
gage and turn starving child from
his door. Nevertheless, such was the
prestige of Mr.. FotherIngay that even
his Incredible meanneSses vanished into
nothingnesS before the stupendous fact
Of his wealth
The surgeon took his scnlpel in his
hand. and Il low sigh OF distress went
up as he made IN inciSinn in the body
OF Mr. Futhcringny.
1t seemed Sucrilrge. Only Il man
with nerves SO we'll attuned us Pro.
feSsor Oprnhim's could have ventured
upon the act. Nevertheless, once he
had begun he continued just as II Mr..
Fothcringay had been an ordinary pa
tient.
Professor Openhim's hand did not
tremb!e IN the least. Nor did the an
eSthetiSt's fingers shake as he slowly
and methodlcally let the ether drip
upon the cone ever Mr.. Fotheringay's
nose.
Tho operation was drawing to an
end. Mr.. Fotherlngay had borne the
shock well. He was still unconscious,
and he had not stirred from first to
last. Only the Stertorous breathing
had Indicated that Mr.. Fotheringays
soul still inhabited its earthly tab
ernacle.
One might have wondered what It
was doing while Mr.. FOtheringay, look.
ing like II distressingly fat turkey, was
being carved. But such speculat ions
are sternly discouraged among physi.
clans and surgeons, especially Of Pro.
lessor Openhim's emlnence The last
stitches were drawn and the suturing
completed. A hOrrid thought struck
all those about the table simultsne-
Ously.
Suppose a sponge or pair Of for.
cops had been left in Mr.. Fotherin.
gays wound!
They counted the sponges and the
forceps eagerly. Nothing had been
left behind. And in his hand the OBJ
Grating surgeon held the metal disk
that had been taken out Of Mr.. 10th.
ingay's body.
Mr.. Fothpringay was wheeled out Of
the operating room, through the anes.
thctic room into the private room that
had hccn allotted to him. IT was the
most magnificent private room in the
hospital There lay Mr.. Fotheringay
in bed, looking Il little less fat and
turkry-likc. and by his bedside sat
nurse. waiting for the moment when
Mr.. Fothcringay might decide TO open
his eyes.
Mr.. Fotherlngay had not opened his
eyes but he was speaking. did they
find il? Did they find it, he asked
in weak whisper
Eyes. yes. Mr.. Fotheringay" an.
swered the nurse.
"Mr. Fotheringay stretched out his
hand. "Give II to me-" he muttered.
The nurse took the metal disk from
a.. a Mic "a AR 10th.