A litter was rushed through the emergency ward door. Buster was carried in by two attendants. Carefully sliding him onto the table, they stood by. Doctor Quincy arrived in minutes. Even though he had been working with another patient, the seriousness of Buster’s condition brought him on the run. Four hundred cc’s of valium settled the nervous patient down. Going over his charge carefully, Doc Quincy noticed that there were several wounds, mainly cuts and abrasions. He ordered the injection of a coagulant to stem bleeding from the worst cuts. Iodine was rubbed on the minor lacerations after hair was shaved away from the wounds. Just as Buster drifted off to sleep, Doctor Quincy began suturing. Karen Smith, one of the nurses in attendance, stood by. Luckily, there were no arteries severed. Most of the cuts were superficial, but a long jagged tear along the abdomen continued to bleed badly. Novacaine was shot into the surrounding area, and the doctor pulled the cut together with two clamps. Only then did he begin to sew the folds of skin together. “Pulse appears normal”, said Karen, as she then began to check for other vital signs. Quincy, grunted in response, intent on his stitch work. Red stains now covered the operating table sheets. Several drops of blood had dripped onto the tile floor, and another nurse stooped to wipe them up with a sponge, lest someone slide on them. Time passed slowly, and the doctor worked on. Using the double S knot that he had originated, the doctor skillfully closed the massive cut, and bleeding subsided. Victims of accidents were fortunate to have such a physician working in the ER. When he was satisfied that there was no longer any blood being lost, Quincy turned to Karen and gave her the order. “X-rays, quickly, so we can be sure there aren’t any broken bones. You can also put a call through and tell them that he’ll make it. Zoo attendants shouldn’t be driving those trucks around loose gorillas.” © RickMack(jotoma@bellsouth.net) ~INDEX PAGE~