Part 34 (2/2)

”As I was saying,” said the doctor in his calm, even tone, and examining his instruments one by one with affectionate care, ”there is every possibility that the nerve centres may be--”

”Oh,” groaned Carroll, still fascinated by the instruments that the doctor was handling with such loving touches, ”will someone shut up this blank, blatherin' fool? He'd drive a man crazy, so he wud!”

”Mr. Carroll, we must be calm. We must be entirely calm,” observed the doctor. ”Now,” continuing his monologue, ”we shall remove the hair from the field of operation. Cleanliness in an operation of this kind is of prime importance. Recent scientific investigations show that the chief danger in operations is from septic poisoning. Yes, every precaution must be taken. Then we shall bathe with this weak solution of carbolic--three percent will be quite sufficient, quite sufficient--the injured parts and the surrounding area, and then we shall examine the extent of the wound. If the dura mater be penetrated, and the arachnoid cavity be opened, then there will be in all probability a very considerable extravasation of blood, and by this time, doubtless, serious inflammation of all the surrounding tissues. The aperture being very small and the depression somewhat extensive, it will be necessary to remove--to saw out, in short--a portion of the skull,” lifting up a fierce-looking instrument.

Carroll groaned.

”Let me out!” he whispered hoa.r.s.ely, rising and feeling his way with outstretched hand to the door. ”I can't stand this b.l.o.o.d.y divil!”

Ike opened the door, while Shock sprang to support the groping man.

”Lave me be!” he said fiercely, with a curse, and pus.h.i.+ng Shock back he stumbled out.

”Ah,” said the doctor, with evident satisfaction, ”there are various methods of removing obstructions, as I have said. We shall now no longer delay.” And he proceeded to clip away the golden curls from about the wound. ”These,” he said, holding them up in his fingers and looking at them admiringly, ”we had better preserve. These beautiful locks may be priceless to the mother, priceless indeed. Poor, bonnie laddie! Now we shall prepare, we shall aseptically prepare, the whole field of operation. A sponge that's it. That will do. Now, let us examine the extent of the injury,” feeling with dextrous fingers about the edge of the slight wound, and over all the depressed surface.

”Ah! as I feared. The internal table is widely comminuted, and there is possibly injury to the dura mater. We must excise a small portion of the bone. The scalpel, please.” Then, after laying back with a few swift, dexterous movements the scalp from about the wounded parts: ”The saw. Yes, the saw. The removal of a section,” he continued, in his gentle monotone, beginning to saw, ”will allow examination of the internal table. A sponge, please. Thank you. And if the dura mater--”

Here the stillness of the room was broken by a sound from Ike. The doctor glanced at him.

”This is a very simple part of the operation,” he explained, ”a very simple part, indeed, and attended with absolutely no pain. A sponge, please. Thank you. Now the forceps. Yes.”

He snipped off a section of the bone. Ike winced ”Ah, as I feared.

There is considerable comminution and extravasation. Yes, and owing to the long delay, and doubtless to the wet applications which the uninitiated invariably apply, pus. Now, the carbolic solution,” to Ike, who was standing with white face and set teeth.

”You are doing remarkably well,” said the doctor encouragingly to him, ”remarkably well. To a novice this at times presents a shocking aspect.

Now we shall attack this depression. The elevator, please. No, the elevator, Mr. Macgregor. There it lies. Yes. Now gently, gently. Just hold that in position,” offering Shock the end of the instrument which he was using as a lever to raise the depressed portion of the skull.

”The other scalpel, please. Now, a slight pressure. Gently, gently. We must be extremely careful of the edges. No, that will not do. Then we must have recourse to the trephine.”

He lifted the instrument as he spoke, and gazed at it with every mark of affection.

”This is one of the most beautiful of all the instruments of modern surgery. A lovely instrument, a lovely instrument, indeed. Let us secure our firm surface. That seems satisfactory,” beginning to bore.

This was too much for Ike. He hastily set down the basin and sponge on a chair, then straightened up in a vain effort to regain mastery of himself.

”Ah,” said the doctor. ”Poor Ike! The spirit is willing, but the sympathetic nerve is evidently seriously disturbed, thereby affecting the vasomotor, and will likely produce complete syncope. Lay him down on his back immediately.”

”No,” said Ike, ”I aint no good. I'm going out.”

”Now,” said the doctor calmly, when Shock and he had been left alone, ”I hope there will be no more interruption. We must proceed with the trephining. Ah, beautiful, beautiful!” his quick moving, deft fingers keeping pace with his monologue.

”There now,” after a few minutes' work with the trephine, ”the depression is lifted. We shall soon be finished.”

With supple, firm fingers he sewed the scalp, dressed the wound, and was done.

”Thank G.o.d!” said Shock, with a long breath. ”Will he live?”

”It is a question now of strength and vitality. If the inflammation is not too widely extended the child may recover. Young life is very tenacious.”

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