Chapter 62

A CONSULTATION OF MAN-OF-WAR SURGEONS.

It seems customary for the Surgeon of the Fleet, when any important
operation in his department is on the anvil, and there is nothing to
absorb professional attention from it, to invite his brother surgeons,
if at hand at the time, to a ceremonious consultation upon it. And
this, in courtesy, his brother surgeons expect.

In pursuance of this custom, then, the surgeons of the neighbouring
American ships of war were requested to visit the Neversink in a body,
to advise concerning the case of the top-man, whose situation had now
become critical. They assembled on the half-deck, and were soon joined
by their respected senior, Cuticle. In a body they bowed as he
approached, and accosted him with deferential regard.

"Gentlemen," said Cuticle, unostentatiously seating himself on a
camp-stool, handed him by his cot-boy, "we have here an extremely
interesting case. You have all seen the patient, I believe. At
first I had hopes that I should have been able to cut down to the
ball, and remove it; but the state of the patient forbade. Since
then, the inflammation and sloughing of the part has been
attended with a copious suppuration, great loss of substance,
extreme debility and emaciation. From this, I am convinced that
the ball has shattered and deadened the bone, and now lies
impacted in the medullary canal. In fact, there can be no doubt
that the wound is incurable, and that amputation is the only
resource. But, gentlemen, I find myself placed in a very delicate
predicament. I assure you I feel no professional anxiety to
perform the operation. I desire your advice, and if you will now
again visit the patient with me, we can then return here and
decide what is best to be done. Once more, let me say, that I
feel no personal anxiety whatever to use the knife."

The assembled surgeons listened to this address with the most
serious attention, and, in accordance with their superior's
desire, now descended to the sick-bay, where the patient was
languishing. The examination concluded, they returned to the
half-deck, and the consultation was renewed.

"Gentlemen," began Cuticle, again seating himself, "you have now
just inspected the limb; you have seen that there is no resource
but amputation; and now, gentlemen, what do you say? Surgeon
Bandage, of the Mohawk, will you express your opinion?"

"The wound is a very serious one," said Bandage--a corpulent man,
with a high German forehead--shaking his head solemnly.

"Can anything save him but amputation?" demanded Cuticle.

"His constitutional debility is extreme," observed Bandage,
"but I have seen more dangerous