EXPERIENCES OF A SURGEON. 483 



In the spring of the fourth year of rny apprenticeship, Mr. 



received a note from a medical friend, residing in a village about five 

 miles from town, requesting him to visit a patient, whose ailment he 

 could not very clearly make out, and who was so ill that he feared 



she would die : from some cause or other Mr. declined going, 



but, as a placebo, desired me to go, as I was known to his friend, 

 and as it seemed likely that but little good could be done. 



It was a lovely day in the middle of May ; and after clearing the 

 dingy and dusty streets and the smoky and heavy atmosphere of the 

 town, and getting fairly into the country, the change of scene was at 

 once delightful and refreshing. Leaving the highway, and threading 

 by lanes and field paths, I luxuriated in the change. The spring sun 

 was high in heaven, and a warm southern breeze came joyously rush- 

 ing over the smiling face of Nature. The ground was covered with 

 the richest verdure, and the trees and hedge-rows gemmed with buds 

 and bursting leaves, while here and there a bush of thorn-bloom, 

 white as driven snow, served at once to diversify and add beauty to 

 the awakening splendours of the most lovely of our seasons. From 

 a child I had loved the country, and to ramble at will amidst copse 

 and dingle, through "lane and alley green" and " bosky bourn," 

 had been one of my greatest pleasures. Of this I had long been 

 deprived : ray visits to my native haunts had been '* few and far 

 between ; " and yielding to the present impulse, I became again a 

 child plucked the daisy or violet with the rapture of past times 

 chased the " yellow butterfly,'' 



" That like a flying primrose hoverd 

 O'er the primrose restlessly " 



and forgot every thing in the momentary return of feelings and joys, 

 which had but little unison with my ordinary pursuits; nor was I 

 recalled to the sterner realities of life and the object of my present 

 journey, till I came in sight of the turret of the primitive-looking 

 church of H . 



On entering the village, I was shown the house to which I had 

 been directed. It stood detached, and surrounded by a neat and 

 well-kept garden. I knocked, and after explaining who I was, and 

 the intention of my visit, was shown into a room, where I found the 

 surgeon in attendance. After a few common-place inquiries, he 

 requested I would see the patient alone, and call at his house to let 

 him know what I thought about her. To this 1 acceded, and I 

 went up stairs accompanied by the husband. 



On approaching the bed-side, I was shocked to perceive that his 

 wife was dying, and that all human aid was fruitless. She was a young 

 and must have been a strikingly handsome woman ; but her fine fea- 

 tures now bore the impress of the destroyer. Her cheeks were sunk, 

 her nostrils and lips quivered during respiration, a cold clammy 

 sweat stood upon her forehead, and her countenance was pinched 

 and wore that peculiar appearance termed by us "fades hippocra- 

 tica." I sat down : her pulse was feeble and intermittent. She 

 was slightly delirious; but, when roused, answered faintly and ra- 



