A CRISIS IN A PATIENT'S CASE

A Hospital surgeon tells a touching story of a patient's illness. A few day ago a woman was sent from Gouverneur Hospital, New York, to Bellevue. Shortly after her arrival her husband called and asked to be allowed to see her. While she was at Gouverneur his devotion had won the hearts of doctors and nurses. He was permitted access to her and would stay around in the yard between his visits, that he might question any doctor who came out of the ward as to her condition. They would answer him kindly and give him all the encouragement they dared. But toward the last they could not give much, and when it was decided to move her to Bellevue, the danger could not be disguised. He expected that he would be able to see her there, but no one knew him and he was told that it was against the rules. "It's nearly ten o'clock," said the surgeon, "you cannot go up. Besides, it is a bad case. I heard them talking about it." The man flung himself on his knees. "I never knelt to mortal man before," he cried; "for mercy's sake take me to my wife that I may see her before she dies." The surgeon's heart melted. He went up to the ward, found the woman tossing in fever and asking for her husband. He came back and beckoned the man to follow him, warning him to be quiet and not stay long. There was a little weak cry of joy from the cot, as he bent over it, and a poor wasted arm was thrown around his neck. In a minute or two he stole noiselessly away. His wife had quieted down and was asleep. The next morning the physician in charge of the case said: "Queer thing that Gouverneur case. It looked pretty bad last night, but she went to sleep like a lamb all of a sudden and slept all night, and now, I guess, she'll pull through." Her husband's visit had produced the rest and peace that no medicines could have given and probably saved the woman's life. The remedy was outside the province of the physicians, but it was effective. So the world often wonders at the transformation that comes in some lives when, after great distress, the heart is filled with joy by the recognition of Christ as the Saviour. There is no exaggeration in the promise: The peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4: 7.)—The Christian Herald.