OPERATION. 217 



much care and tenderness as the seat 

 of the wound and his own rough nature 

 would allow, he gave it as his opinion 

 that the injured limb might with safety 

 be removed ; and being asked by the other 

 how he proposed to do it, he replied, by 

 taking it out of the socket. 



The patient overhearing this conversa- 

 tion, said he would not submit to any 

 experiment, as he was convinced the 

 wound was mortal, and he wished to 

 await his end in peace. Our Hibernian 

 friend, upon this, calling to his aid a little 

 of that persuasive eloquence so peculiar to 

 his countrymen, assured the Captain it 

 was no experiment at all, for the ope- 

 ration had already been performed with 

 success by Sir Astley Cooper, an account 

 of which he was in possession of, and 

 would, with his permission, read it to 

 him. Having done so, the Captain asked 

 him if he were prepared to perform the 



