DEPLORABLE STATE OF THE TOWN. 439 



the stomach. He thought the man again moved, and to 

 make sure on this point, recourse was had to the blow- 

 pipe. On the application of this very severe test, Hellstenius 

 gave unequivocal signs of life. Shampooing and other 

 remedies were now immediately resorted to, and in a short 

 time he came to his perfect senses." 



" I arrived at the hospital/' the Major continued, " shortly 

 after this remarkable resuscitation, and stood at the foot of 

 the bed gazing at Hellstenius; on which the poor fellow, 

 fixing his eyes full upon me, exclaimed with a loud voice : 

 ' God bless the doctor, who stands there ; without his 

 assistance I should now be lying in the dead-house 

 amongst corpses !' ' It is gratifying to add, that this man 

 eventually left the hospital restored to health, and that 

 within the last few years he was alive and well. 



The state of Gothenburg at this period was very deplo- 

 rable. " I should have executed your commission," writes 

 an acquaintance, " but could not do so, for the pestilence that 

 now rages. Two individuals have been victims in my house, 

 and two others are lying at death's door. The town and 

 suburbs present a dreadful scene. People die like flies. 

 Wailing only is heard, and nothing is seen throughout the 

 livelong day but the sick borne on litters to the hospitals, 

 and the dead to their last home. The rumbling of the 

 hearses under my window, is almost the only sign of life in 

 the town." 



" To send you a supply of medicines from this place," 

 writes a countryman, holding an official appointment, 

 "is quite out of the question. After about fourteen thou- 

 sand deaths, and God knows how many cases, you may 

 conceive the supplies of doctors' stuff are exhausted. It 



