Year: 1860

/


was in town few days since, and furnished


us with some portions of bis history a. a


pioneer or frontiersman, some parts OF


which we give, and which we doubt not. will


interest our readers. We give some account
OF bis suilerings aud treatment, in view Of
the fact that knowledge Of the course puI
sued by him may chance to be of use to some
who may be similarly situated.


Mr.. p. set out from Fort Gibson, Arkan-
ses, in the Autumn Of 1886, and preceded to
the head waters OF the Brazos, under the
command Of Colonel De Soto, who was com
missioned to treat and trade with the Ca
manche Isdians, who had been devastating 6
the southern aud western portions Of our
territory. The weather. during the winter,
among The lofty mountains, is usually in
tensely cold but while marching along the
south side of mnuntain, through wooded
region, it proved on one occasion so unu-
sually warm az to enable the party to dis
cover a bee tree, well stored with honey.
The trunk OF the tree was quite rotten, and
Mr.. p. thought to push it over with his hand,
and while attempting to do SO felt something
fall between bis open shirt sleeve and arm,
ard soon after suffered the most keen thrust
of pain imaginable. lie fell to the ground.
and for few moments was deprived of con-
sciousness. On aIousing be shook eentiped
from bis arm. which so alarmed the Indians
as to induce them to urge him to wrap his
blankets around himself and resign himself
to a death, which they regarded as inevitable.
When be would not willingly comply with
their request they attempted to tie him and
force him to submit to his fate quietly.


They proceeded to burn the grass in the
vicinity Of the centiped, which they regard
as the most deadly Of the reptile race. All
the poisons they regard as Insignificant when
compared to that Mr.. p. soon perceived
that the poison was spreading at the rate Of
an inch per miuets aud proceeded at once
to cord his arm so tightly as to stop the cir
culation of the reins entirely and the arteries
very considerably. The color was first red
following this about one inch ii became very
green two or three inches behind this it
would be of a blue tinge. and following this
still an inch, or more, it would be black.


This occurred about s O'Clock. P. N. In
six hours his arm was swelled much larger
than his thigh, and soon burst open and dis
charged green, watery fluid. In the after
noon the Indians made a poaltice of herbs
and applied 10 his arm. On the following
morning the poisoned flesh was completely
detached from the bone, and JttH of, but left
the nerves, veins and arteries entire. So
thin was the covering left that he could
plainly see the waves Of blood that coursed
through the arteries. He then began to
slacken the cord about his arm by degrees
and wash 1t clean with water. Purified
flesh and pus began to be thrown off. He
then enveloped his arm in blankets, and sup
ported it by sling. Whenever it became
cold it was very painful. His suferings
were greatly increased by being obliged to
make forced marches over mountains and
| through wide marshes and ponds Of water.
/ This was indispensable in order to prevent
being storm staid in bleak. cold and in
| hospitable region where he would probably
have pershed.


Six months passed away before he could
obtain the aid or advice OF a surgeon, during
wb ch period bis arm remained destitute OF
/ flesh and most of the time as painful as can
be imagined. Enormous quantities of blsody
putrid and filthy secretions were constantly
streaming therefrcm. At times it would
seem to begin to heal aud the discharge to
lessen; but at such times he was sure to suffer
dreadiuly from some constitutional derange
ment which would invariably be relieved
whenever the sore began to dischaig ge its
usually offensive deposits. Six months
after the commencement OF bis sufferings
be consulted surgeon who recommended
cleanliness of the wound and the usual ap.
plication OF some simple salve. As time
went on, membranes envelopng the bone
became some thickened-an apology for a
skin appeared, and the blood vessels and
nerves, followed by spongy tuner upon
the elboS of the diseased arm, the joint OF
WIS ~ AHt NiotoiiiOu VI tbS
bones, from the deposit of matter like brittle
cheese. A second tumor protruded little
below the first and SO large AS TO be annoy
ing from the weight and most offensive and
copious secretions.


In 1854 Mr.. P. came to California with
bis little family. While on the way his arm
grew worse ON account OF the abundance
and offensiveness of the secretions from the
sore. The bone soon began to suffer from
modification. This state OF things continded
, to grow worse aud worse, until in February
last when he consulted surgeon, who in
formed him that amputation was bis only
hope Of relief, indicating at the same time
that bis whole organism had become so sat
urated with disease that il il was arrested
J in one plan, viz bis arm. 1t was liable to
develop itselfin some other part of the body
! or In some other form. He chose to avail
himself of this last chance for life, and the
: arrest Of suferings which it was impossible