Half
a dozen handkerchiefs and napkins had already been saturated with
blood; and as it still came freely, nothing was left but to reopen
the wound and religate the artery.
Ether was promptly given, and as soon as the patient was fairly
under its influence the bandages were removed and the sutures by
which the wound had been drawn together cut. The cavity left by the
tumor was, of course, full of blood. This was taken out with
sponges, when at the lower part of the orifice a thin jet of blood
was visible. The surrounding parts had swollen, thus embedding the
mouth of the artery so deeply that it could not be recovered without
again using the knife. What followed will be best understood if
given in the doctor's own words in a relation of the circumstances
made by him a few years afterward.
"As you will see," he said, "I was in the worst possible condition
for an emergency like this. I had used no stimulus since returning
from Mr. Carlton's though just going to order wine when the summons
from Doctor Angier came. If I had taken a glass or two, it would
have been better, but the imperative nature of the summons
disconcerted me. I was just in the condition to be disturbed and
confused. I remembered when too late the grave omission, and had
partly resolved to ask Mr. Carlton for a glass of wine before
proceeding to reopen the wound and search for the bleeding artery.
But a too vivid recollection of my recent conversation with him
about Doctor Kline prevented my doing so.
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