round the red lamp(红灯四周)-第3章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
were pale； frightened lads； fresh from the high schools； and callous old
chronics； whose generation had passed on and left them。 They swept in
an unbroken； tumultuous stream from the university gate to the hospital。
The figures and gait of the men were young； but there was little youth in
most of their faces。 Some looked as if they ate too littlea few as if they
drank too much。 Tall and short； tweed… coated and black； round…
shouldered； bespectacled； and slim； they crowded with clatter of feet and
rattle of sticks through the hospital gate。 Now and again they thickened
into two lines； as the carriage of a surgeon of the staff rolled over the
cobblestones between。
〃There's going to be a crowd at Archer's；〃 whispered the senior man
with suppressed excitement。 〃It is grand to see him at work。 I've seen
him jab all round the aorta until it made me jumpy to watch him。 This
way； and mind the whitewash。〃
They passed under an archway and down a long； stone…flagged
corridor； with drab…coloured doors on either side； each marked with a
number。 Some of them were ajar； and the novice glanced into them with
tingling nerves。 He was reassured to catch a glimpse of cheery fires；
lines of white…counterpaned beds； and a profusion of coloured texts upon
the wall。 The corridor opened upon a small hall； with a fringe of poorly
clad people seated all round upon benches。 A young man； with a pair of
scissors stuck like a flower in his buttonhole and a note…book in his hand；
was passing from one to the other； whispering and writing。
〃Anything good？〃 asked the third year's man。
〃You should have been here yesterday；〃 said the out…patient clerk；
glancing up。 〃We had a regular field day。 A popliteal aneurism； a
Colles' fracture； a spina bifida； a tropical abscess； and an elephantiasis。
How's that for a single haul？〃
〃I'm sorry I missed it。 But they'll come again； I suppose。 What's up
with the old gentleman？〃
A broken workman was sitting in the shadow； rocking himself slowly
9
… Page 10…
ROUND THE RED LAMP
to and fro； and groaning。 A woman beside him was trying to console him；
patting his shoulder with a hand which was spotted over with curious little
white blisters。
〃It's a fine carbuncle；〃 said the clerk； with the air of a connoisseur who
describes his orchids to one who can appreciate them。 〃It's on his back
and the passage is draughty； so we must not look at it； must we； daddy？
Pemphigus；〃 he added carelessly； pointing to the woman's disfigured
hands。 〃Would you care to stop and take out a metacarpal？〃
〃No； thank you。 We are due at Archer's。 Come on！〃 and they
rejoined the throng which was hurrying to the theatre of the famous
surgeon。
The tiers of horseshoe benches rising from the floor to the ceiling were
already packed； and the novice as he entered saw vague curving lines of
faces in front of him； and heard the deep buzz of a hundred voices； and
sounds of laughter from somewhere up above him。 His companion spied
an opening on the second bench； and they both squeezed into it。
〃This is grand！〃 the senior man whispered。 〃You'll have a rare view
of it all。〃
Only a single row of heads intervened between them and the operating
table。 It was of unpainted deal； plain； strong； and scrupulously clean。 A
sheet of brown water…proofing covered half of it； and beneath stood a large
tin tray full of sawdust。 On the further side； in front of the window； there
was a board which was strewed with glittering instruments forceps；
tenacula； saws； canulas； and trocars。 A line of knives； with long； thin；
delicate blades； lay at one side。 Two young men lounged in front of this；
one threading needles； the other doing something to a brass coffee…pot…like
thing which hissed out puffs of steam。
〃That's Peterson；〃 whispered the senior； 〃the big； bald man in the front
row。 He's the skin… grafting man； you know。 And that's Anthony
Browne； who took a larynx out successfully last winter。 And there's
Murphy； the pathologist； and Stoddart； the eye…man。 You'll come to
know them all soon。〃
〃Who are the two men at the table？〃
〃Nobodydressers。 One has charge of the instruments and the other
10
… Page 11…
ROUND THE RED LAMP
of the puffing Billy。 It's Lister's antiseptic spray； you know； and Archer's
one of the carbolic…acid men。 Hayes is the leader of the cleanliness…and…
cold…water school； and they all hate each other like poison。〃
A flutter of interest passed through the closely packed benches as a
woman in petticoat and bodice was led in by two nurses。 A red woolen
shawl was draped over her head and round her neck。 The face which
looked out from it was that of a woman in the prime of her years； but
drawn with suffering； and of a peculiar beeswax tint。 Her head drooped
as she walked； and one of the nurses； with her arm round her waist； was
whispering consolation in her ear。 She gave a quick side…glance at the
instrument table as she passed； but the nurses turned her away from it。
〃What ails her？〃 asked the novice。
〃Cancer of the parotid。 It's the devil of a case； extends right away
back behind the carotids。 There's hardly a man but Archer would dare to
follow it。 Ah； here he is himself！〃
As he spoke； a small； brisk； iron…grey man came striding into the room；
rubbing his hands together as he walked。 He had a clean…shaven face； of
the naval officer type； with large； bright eyes； and a firm； straight mouth。
Behind him came his big house… surgeon； with his gleaming pince…nez；
and a trail of dressers； who grouped themselves into the corners of the
room。
〃Gentlemen；〃 cried the surgeon in a voice as hard and brisk as his
manner； 〃we have here an interesting case of tumour of the parotid；
originally cartilaginous but now assuming malignant characteristics； and
therefore requiring excision。 On to the table； nurse！ Thank you！
Chloroform； clerk！ Thank you！ You can take the shawl off； nurse。〃
The woman lay back upon the water…proofed pillow； and her
murderous tumour lay revealed。 In itself it was a pretty thingivory
white； with a mesh of blue veins； and curving gently from jaw to chest。
But the lean； yellow face and the stringy throat were in horrible contrast
with the plumpness and sleekness of this monstrous growth。 The surgeon
placed a hand on each side of it and pressed it slowly backwards and
forwards。
〃Adherent at one place； gentlemen；〃 he cried。 〃The growth involves
11
… Page 12…
ROUND THE RED LAMP
the carotids and
