EXPERIENCES OF A SURGEON. 367 



the hopes that some other surgeon would secure the pas before 

 I made my appearance: it was however differently ordained; and, on 

 reaching the house, which was all in confusion, I was at once shown 

 up stairs, where I found the landlord, boots, waiter, the landlady, 

 barmaid, chambermaid, cook, and kitchen-wench, all bawling at the 

 top of their lungs for help, and endeavouring to pinion the arms of a 

 powerful and athletic man, who was dragging them about the room 

 as if they had been so many children ; whilst he was cursing and 

 swearing, and imprecating the most horrid oaths, with livid lips 

 covered with foam, staring eyes, and flushed and convulsed fea- 

 tures. I drew back in affright, and should have beaten a retreat, 

 but that the door was secured, for fear the madman should escape. 1 

 was utterly bewildered, and was forced to show some agility to avoid 

 being crushed by the cluster of terrified attendants, all of whom cried 

 out in chorus, '* Bleed him ! bleed him ! " 



This was an impossibility unless the man could be secured; and 

 there was another, and to me equally cogent reason against this pro- 

 position I had never bled a man, and what I had read on the 

 subject had done any thing but put me at ease. There was the 

 median basilic and the median cephalic veins, I knew, and I also 

 knew that there was an artery somewhere about these veins, which I 

 had learned might be pricked. A person perfectly ignorant would 

 have had none of my scruples. I had but little choice, bleed him 

 they swore I must; and I could have only got out of the predi- 

 cament by declaring my incapacity a thing which my pride 

 forbade, and which it was probable might have procured me a some- 

 what rough expulsion. 



I therefore plucked up heart of grace, and said I would bleed him 

 willingly, if they would get more assistance to hold him : about 

 this there was some difficulty, none of those who had him in hand 

 durst leave go, fearful that he might get his hands at liberty, and so 

 do them a mischief ; as it was, by the aid of his teeth and feet he 

 inflicted severe punishment; every bite or kick being followed by 

 piercing screams, or vows of vengeance. The uproar was terrible : 

 now they were all in a heap rolling head over heels on the floor ; 

 then they got him on the bed, whilst he continued vociferating in a 

 stentorian voice a vocabulary of sea-oaths ; the only connected sen- 

 tence I could catch, being, " Swab the deck, you lubbers ! d n 

 your eyes, swab the deck ! " 



After considerable delay, and not before it was much wanted, 

 farther help wa$ procured : the parties, male and female, who had 

 been struggling with him, were battered, bruised, and nearly ex- 

 hausted, and he would soon have gained the mastery, as his gigantic 

 and preternatural strength in violent frenzy seemed rather to in- 

 crease than diminish. Several men now seized him, and by main 

 force held him on the bed ; and I proceeded with no good will to 

 perform my part towards taming him : his arm was securely held, 

 and, on looking for the veins, I was much flurried to find no trace of 

 them. I had frequently examined my own arrn, but it was that of a 

 delicate lad, with a skin white as snow, and smooth as a lady's cheek, 



