THE SUFFERINGS OF JOSEPH SMITH, JUNIOR, WITH A FEVER SORE--EXTRACTION
OF LARGE FRAGMENTS OF BONE FROM ONE OF HIS LEGS.
Joseph, our third son, having recovered from the typhus fever, after
something like two weeks' sickness, one day screamed out while sitting
in a chair, with a pain in his shoulder, and, in a very short time,
he appeared to be in such agony, that we feared the consequence would
prove to be something very serious. We immediately sent for a doctor.
When he arrived, and had examined the patient, he said that it was
his opinion that this pain was occasioned by a sprain. But the child
declared this could not be the case, as he had received no injury in
any way whatever, but that a severe pain had seized him all at once, of
the cause of which he was entirely ignorant.
Notwithstanding the child's protestations, still the physician insisted
that it must be a sprain, and consequently, he anointed his shoulder
with some bone linament, but this was of no advantage to him, for the
pain continued the same after the anointing as before.
When two weeks of extreme suffering had elapsed, the attendant
physician concluded to make closer examination: whereupon he found that
a large fever sore had gathered between his breast and shoulder. He
immediately lanced it, upon which it discharged fully a quart of matter.
As soon as the sore had discharged itself, the pain left it, and shot
like lightening (using his own terms) down his side into the marrow of
the bone of his leg, and soon became very severe.
My poor boy, at this, was almost in despair, and he, cried out "Oh,
father! the pain is so severe, how can I bear it!"
His leg soon began to swell, and he continued to suffer the greatest
agony for the space of two weeks longer. During this period, I carried
him much of the time in my arms, in order to mitigate his suffering
as much as possible; in consequence of which I was taken very ill
myself. The anxiety of mind that I experienced, together with physical
over-exertion, was too much for my constitution, and my nature sank
under it.
Hyrum, who was rather remarkable for his tenderness and sympathy, now
desired that he might take my place. As he was a good, trusty boy,
we let him do so; and, in order to make the task as easy for him as
possible, we laid Joseph upon a low bed, and Hyrum sat beside him,
almost day and night, for some considerable length of time, holding the
affected part of his leg in his hands, and pressing it between them, so
that his afflicted brother might be enabled to endure the pain, which
was so excruciating that he was scarcely able to bear it.
At the end of three weeks, we thought it advisable to send again for
the surgeon. When he came, he made an incision of eight inches, on the
front side of the leg, between the knee and ankle. This relieved the
pain in a great measure, and the patient was quite comfortable until
the wound began to heal, when the pain became as violent as ever.
The surgeon was called again, and he this time enlarged the wound,
cutting the leg even to the bone. It commenced healing the second time,
and as soon as it began to heal, it also began to swell again, which
swelling continued to rise till we deemed it wisdom to call a council
of surgeons; and when they met in consultation, they decided that
amputation was the only remedy.
Soon after coming to this conclusion, they rode up to the door, and
were invited into a room, apart from the one in which Joseph lay. They
being seated, I addressed them thus: "Gentlemen, what can you do to
save my boy's leg?" They answered, "We can do nothing; we have cut it
open to the bone, and find it so affected that we consider his leg
incurable, and that amputation is absolutely necessary in order to save
his life."
This was like a thunderbolt to me. I appealed to the principal surgeon,
saying, "Dr. Stone, can you not make another trial? Can you not, by
cutting around the bone, take out the diseased part, and perhaps that
which is sound will heal over, and by this means you will save his leg?
You will not, you must not, take off his leg, until you try once more.
I will not consent to let you enter his room until you make me this
promise."
After consulting a short time with each other, they agreed to do as I
had requested, then went to see my suffering son. One of the doctors,
on approaching his bed, said, "My poor boy, we have come again." "Yes,"
said Joseph, "I see you have; but you have not come to take off my leg,
have you, sir?" "No," replied the surgeon, "it is your mother's request
that we make one more effort, and that is what we have now come for."
The principal surgeon, after a moment's conversation, ordered cords
to be brought to bind Joseph fast to a bedstead; but to this Joseph
objected. The doctor, however, insisted that he must be confined, upon
which Joseph said very decidedly, "No, doctor, I will not be bound, for
I can bear the operation much better if I have my liberty." "Then,"
said Dr. Stone, "will you drink some brandy?"
"No," said Joseph, "not one drop."
"Will you take some wine?" rejoined the doctor. "You must take
something, or you can never endure the severe operation to which you
must be subjected."
"No," exclaimed Joseph, "I will not touch one particle of liquor,
neither will I be tied down; but I will tell you what I will do--I
will have my father sit on the bed and hold me in his arms, and then
I will do whatever is necessary in order to have the bone taken out."
Looking at me, he said, "Mother, I want you to leave the room, for I
know you cannot bear to see me suffer so; father can stand it, but you
have carried me so much, and watched over me so long, you are almost
worn out." Then looking up into my face, his eyes swimming in tears, he
continued, "Now, mother, promise me that you will not stay, will you?
The Lord will help me, and I shall get through with it."
To this request I consented, and getting a number of folded sheets, and
laying them under his leg, I retired, going several hundred yards from
the house in order to be out of hearing.
The surgeons commenced operating by boring into the bone of his leg,
first on one side of the bone where it was affected, then on the other
side, after which they broke it off with a pair of forceps or pincers.
They thus took away large pieces of the bone. When they broke off the
first piece, Joseph screamed out so loudly, that I could not forbear
running to him. On my entering the room, he cried out, "Oh, mother, go
back, go back; I do not want you to come in--I will try to tough it
out, if you will go away."
When the third piece was taken away, I burst into the room again--and
oh, my God! what a spectacle for a mother's eye! The wound torn open,
the blood still gushing from it, and the bed literally covered with
blood. Joseph was pale as a corpse, and large drops of sweat were
rolling down his face, whilst upon every feature was depicted the
utmost agony!
I was immediately forced from the room, and detained until the
operation was completed; but when the act was accomplished, Joseph
put upon a clean bed, the room cleared of every appearance of blood,
and the instruments which were used in the operation removed, I was
permitted again to enter.
Joseph immediately commenced getting better, and from this onward,
continued to mend until he became strong and healthy. When he had so
far recovered as to be able to travel, he went with his uncle, Jesse
Smith, to Salem, for the benefit of his health, hoping the sea-breezes
would be of service to him, and in this he was not disappointed.
Having passed through about a year of sickness and distress, health
again returned to our family, and we most assuredly realized the
blessing; and indeed, we felt to acknowledge the hand of God, more in
preserving our lives through such a tremendous scene of affliction,
than if we had, during this time, seen nothing but health and
prosperity.