xii Amputation of Wedgwood's Right Leg 1 2 1 



now making up his mind to a capital cure, which 

 might for ever rid him of his tormenting knee. It 

 was no doubt a heroic remedy, and it might prove 

 a dangerous one. It was no other than the am- 

 putation of his right limb. He finally resolved 

 upon the operation, and the amputation took place 

 upon the 28th May 1768, about four years after his 

 marriage. 



Mr. Bent, assisted by a local surgeon, performed the 

 operation. The faithful Bentley came over from Liver- 

 pool to support Wedgwood's courage. But, so far as 

 that went, he had courage enough. There were no 

 ansesthetics in those days, but he would not have the 

 operation hidden from his view, but deliberately 

 watched the surgeons. There were the tourniquet, the 

 knife, the saw, the forceps, the ligatures, the sewing of 

 the flaps, and the strapping. He was thus finally 

 relieved from the knee which had tormented him so 

 long; and during the operation, the brave Wedgwood 

 never shrank nor uttered a murmur. Yet, for many 

 years, the severed nerves continued to convey sensations 

 to the brain or to the nervous system which had been 

 affected, so that he continued to feel the remains of 

 the pain in what he called his " no-leg." 



During Wedgwood's illness, his wife's conduct was 

 admirable. Although she had to attend the sufferings 

 of her dying boy, she never ceased to pay her loving 

 attentions to her " dear Joss." She conducted his corre- 

 spondence, and did everything she could, by her alacrity 



