Detective Bob Bridger — page 97: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

90 DETECTIVE BOB BRIDGER. “In fact, my practice was in the role of an assistant of a resident English physician. ; “One day a pressing request came to him from a rich rajah, whose possessions lay far in the interior. “The rajah was afflicted with a large tumor in his neck, which was fast growing in size, and his messenger begged that the doctor would repair with him to his master’s pal- ace and remove it. “From the messenger’s statement of the case it pre- sented at best a very difficult surgical operation. “A long and fatiguing journey, at the expense of val- uable time and possible health, was necessary to reach the royal patient. : “Then, did the operation, in an unpropitious clime for surgical experiments, prove abortive or tatal, the operator’s life might pay the forfeit. Lhe doctor, therefore, promptly refused to go, but re- commended me as his assistant, and one perfectly compe- tent to perform the needed operation. | “ Feeling that it would retrieve my shattered fortunes if I succeeded, and that the possible assassination which might follow failure would only end a wrecked life, I at once accepted the proffered commission and accompanied the messenger on the long journey to his afflicted master. “I found the rajah surrounded by all the pomp of roy- — alty, and perceived that living as he did, remote from the central points of English power, his authority was as ab- solute in his domains as that of any prince might be over. his subjects. He was a very intelligent man, however, and readily submitted to all my directions regarding the operation. A room in the palace was cooled by large fans operated by natives, and causing a continual flow of air. The bed upon which the rajah must remain until the wound caused by the operation should heal, was placed in this apartment. “A cot was placed near it upon which the operation was to be performed. I selected six of his strongest blacks as my assistants, and excluded all others from the apartment save the royal patient and myself. “All things being so prepared, on the second day after my arrival I administered chloroform, and in a few Mine 9s utes successfully removed the huge, scrofulous tumor, and — dressed the wound. peor “The rajah was placed comfortably upon his bed, and (E(e)