THE RECENT CASE OF FROSTBITE.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1062, 25 August 1882, Page 3

THE RECENT CASE OF FROSTBITE.

The following letter appears in the Lyttelton Times :— Sir,—This is the ninth winter I have spent in Christchurch, and it has struck me that not a year passes away without our hearing ■of some unfortunate people who are being frostbitten in their path of duty on the cold mountain ranges of New Zealand. In your issue of Ausust 141 see the following telegram from Dunedin: —“ August 13,1882. — The lad Webb, who was out in the snow on the Teviot ranges for five days, and was badly frostbitten has been brought to the Dunedin Hospital, where, yesterday, the operation of amputating both his feet was performed." This is a sad tale. The happiness of youth nipped in the bud, and no earthly hope left but to pine through life’s journey, at the best a living sermon of patience and longsuffering to others, who, in the full enjoyment of health and strength, are dissatisfied with their portion in God’s beautiful world. With your permission I should like to make known the following facts through your paper;—A brother of mine, who served in the German army during the last French war, fainted on the battle field, near Orleans in January, 1871, when the Germans were attacked by General Chancy. Franc-tireurs robbed the wounded and dead of all their belongings, a heavy snowstorm fell like a pall over them, and a biting frost put an end to the lives of many. For nearly two days and two nights my brother lay unconscious on that battle field. When the surgeons of tho field hospitals came to do their painful ■duty, one of them, a friend of my family, espied, as he thought, my brother’s corpse. He found, however, that the spark of life was not extinct. Friction with snow and other remedies were applied, but when my brother recovered consciousness he was told that it would be absolutely necessary to amputate his right leg, which was severely f ro*t-blttcn. Tn his distress he remembered that in North Germany he once knew a man who, being out in the cold during a fearful wintry night, had one of his feet soverery frostbitten, and that this man was completely cured by the simple and continuous application of cow manure fresh from the field or stable. My brother obstinately resisted tho wishes of the surgical staff, and decided to risk his life in preference to amputation. He was taken to comfortable quarters, and sat for nearly three weeks with his leg in a bucket of cow manure. One month later he was able to join his regiment again, which had been ordered to Dieppe; he walked many miles during forced marches, and returned home in excellent

health towards tho-end of the.year. He is still living, and no one who sees him walk, dance, or skate would .ever suspect that there was a day in his life when several surgeons had their instruments ready to amputate his leg.' * About four years ago an pH lady was staying with a friend of mine «it Riocarton. She arrived with several fingers frostbitten during a cold journey from the country. My friend, wno bad heard me tell the above tale came to ask me for particulars about my brother's case. She applied the remedy, and in a few days her visitor was sufficiently well to use Her fingers Our Christchurch doctors, who have attended cases of illness at my house, know that I have alwas implicitly obeyed their orders, I wish to publish the above lines as containing mere facts, which deserve to be known in districts where no medical man can give assistance in case of frostbites; and I shall rejoice if the simple remedy I have indicated were to alleviate or prevent suffering.—! am, to,, J. Lohsk, Oldenburg House, Christchurch August 16.