Tear In Time Read Online Free PDF Page B

can control the infection.”
     
      Asst.
Sgt. Fowler just nodded as he jumped down off the wagon and came around to the
back. He stood for a moment and awaited further orders.
     
     
Looking at the gruesome sight, Asst. Fowler watched as Dr. Morgan placed the
mechanical tourniquet just above the knee and over the femoral artery. With the
strap wrapping around the leg, he pulled hard to tighten the cloth band around
the skin. He then turned a large lever on the tourniquet to take in the excess
slack. Moments later, the blood that oozed from the wound slowed to a slight
trickle.
     
      Dr.
Morgan's hands were already covered in blood as he reached for his scalpel.
With his pant leg gone, Corporal Fletcher's right leg was fully exposed.
Starting at the top surface of the leg, Dr. Morgan began the amputation as he
explained the procedure to Asst. Fowler while he operated.
     
     
“Right, I know this is your first time, so I'll try to explain as much as
practicable. First we determine the point of incision closest to the wound. We
always try to leave as much of the amputated limb as possible. I'd say we could
safely amputate about an inch or so behind the wound,” Dr. Morgan said as he
placed the scalpel on the top of the leg.
     
     
Looking up at his assistant, then up to Corp. Fletcher to ensure he was
unconscious, he was now ready. “Right then. Start at the top, here,” he said,
pointing with the scalpel. “We pierce through the upper integuments – skin,
that is – cutting through the fascia and just into the muscle. This really
should be quite simple with him unconscious.”
     
      As he
explained, he pierced through both layers of skin and into the muscle as he
sliced from the top and worked his way around to the bottom, blood and fatty
yellow tissue immediately oozing from the laceration. At the bottom, he reached
around the leg, coming up from underneath on the opposite side and continued to
make his incision up the other side, ending at his first point of incision. The
two incisions were so quick, Asst. Fowler barely had time to comprehend.
     
      “Ok, I
need you to pull back the first layer as I cut down to the bone. Just be
careful of your fingers though. I'm moving pretty fast here and we don't want
an accidental amputation of any of your digits, ok?” Dr. Morgan asked.
     
      Asst.
Fowler nervously nodded his head and placed his unwashed fingers into the incision
and began to pull back on the skin, opening it wider for Dr. Morgan. As he did
this, he asked a question. “Sir, why don't we cut right down to the bone on the
first pass? Wouldn't it be faster?”
     
     
Looking up at his assistant, Dr. Morgan replied, “Good question, lad. We could
do this in one pass, but we lose the precision as we slice deep into the
muscle. The remaining stump usually ends up grossly disfigured, more so than is
acceptable, frequently leaving the appendage quite painful for use. The accepted
practice is the double incision, as we are doing now. We will produce a stump
that will retain more muscle tissue covering the bone, making it a less
painful, as well as a more useful appendage.”
     
      Asst.
Fowler nodded, then turned his attention to his fingers as he pulled the
incision open.
     
      Dr.
Morgan reached for a longer bladed scalpel. He inserted it into the bloody
tissue at the top, then angled the blade so that he would be cutting several
inches up and underneath his assistant’s hand, effectively cutting out a cone
shaped piece of muscle down to the bone. The first pass, the doctor sliced
deeply into the flesh, slicing though vein, muscle and tendons, hitting the
bone and increasing blood flow onto the table. As he was instructed, Asst. Fowler
pulled back the freshly sliced muscle as the doctor worked quickly.
     
     
Reaching over the leg once more, the doctor continued his conical-shaped
incision from the bottom and worked his way to the top. With his hands
saturated in blood, he reached for a long