A Measure of Mercy Read Online Free PDF Page A

some comfrey, grind that and make a paste to apply.”
    “I told them to stay out of the woods, but they had to learn the hard way.”
    “Do you know what poison ivy looks like?” Astrid asked the two weepy girls.
    “We do now.” The two girls looked at each other then at Astrid. “It was so pretty we made chains out of it to wear in our hair.”
    “I see.” Astrid smiled at the mother. “Let us know how this goes. There are some other things we can try if need be. Soak all their clothes and bedding in hot soapy water. Anything they have touched wash with soapy water. They are highly contagious.”
    “Thank you, Doctors.” The mother nodded to both Elizabeth and Astrid and herded the girls ahead of her out of the room.
    Astrid had a strong feeling those two girls were in for more punishment than just how miserable they felt.
    “You passed that one with flying colors. I’ll get Thelma in here to scrub with carbolic acid. Let’s go wash ourselves. That was the worst case I have ever seen.”
    “Are they new to the area?”
    “Come from the Minnesota side like the Baxters. Good thing we have that bridge across the river now. The family moved here from someplace back East.” The two joined at the basin and scrubbed hands and arms, then took off their aprons. “Just in case,” Elizabeth added.
    Astrid told her about Carl while they tied clean aprons on and entered the examining room. Carl lay sound asleep on the table, Andrew and Ingeborg standing on either side of him.
    “Good, that is what I hoped would happen.” Astrid smiled at her brother. “Did you try to set it?”
    “No. That’s what we have doctors for nowadays.”
    “You can work with animals but not humans, is that it?” Astrid teased her brother.
    “That’s right. Especially not my son.”
    With gentle fingers Astrid probed the arm, which was already swollen and hot. The break was halfway between wrist and elbow. “You hold Carl, and we’ll do the traction.”
    Elizabeth nodded. “I’ll take the wrist.”
    “Be ready for him to flail.”
    Andrew pressed against his son’s shoulders with both hands.
    “No, you lie across his body too. This is going to hurt.”
    Andrew gave her a funny look but did as she said.
    “On three.” Astrid gripped the boy’s elbow and upper arm to steady it when Elizabeth pulled. “One, two, three.” Elizabeth pulled, Carl let out a shriek, bucked, and nearly threw his father off. But the bone clicked back in place.
    “I’ll go get the ice.” Elizabeth left the room while Astrid took a flat piece of wood with rounded edges from a shelf and began wrapping it in soft cotton. She laid it next to the arm, wrapped it in place, and folded a square of cloth into a triangle for a sling. When Elizabeth returned with small chunks of ice, they wrapped the ice around the boy’s arm and tied the sling in place.
    Sitting in the chair and holding his still son, who was once again asleep, Andrew nodded. “You two work well together.”
    “Thank you. I sure hope this is the last one of the day. You should have seen the cases of poison ivy we just took care of. My word, what a mess.” Astrid studied her nephew, his long eyelashes feathering his round cheeks. “I’ll send some laudanum home with you. I think when he wakes up, we should just wrap his arm to his body like you did to bring him in. Best for a little one like him.”
    “How’s Vernon?”
    “You know him?”
    “I’d met him before. You think he’ll make it?”
    “I sure am praying so. All of us are.” She shuddered. “That was the most awful . . .” She blew out a breath. “Why don’t you take Mor home with you? She can take care of Carl. Both of them can use some rocking, and she can pray just as well there as here.”
    “I will. Tomorrow we are stringing more phone lines. I am now more convinced than ever how valuable that newfangled instrument is.”
    “That’s it for the day,” Elizabeth said as they watched Andrew carry his son back