Page:Lives of British Physicians.djvu/337

 GOOCH. 315 be on the door as I entered the ward ; he im- mediately caught sight of me, and clasping his hands with a cry of joy, turned his face upon the pillow, and burst into tears. He knew I was to return in my way to Edinburgh — he had been looking for me every day — he felt that he should die, and now he said that he should die happy. During my fortnight's absence the poor fellow was dreadfully altered, and looked as if he would soon verify his own prognostic. He had not been neglected, in the common acceptation of the term among hospital surgeons ; he had had the ordinary attention of a naval hospital, but his situation re- quired more ; his new attendant, I dare say, knew as much of surgery as I did, but he felt less inte- rest about him, and had not given him that thought and attention which I had. He had been suffered to lie continually upon his back ; the wounds on his loins, which I had left clean and florid, were covered with new and extensive sloughs, and his constitution had sunk rapidly. He was wasted to a skeleton, had become irritable and low-spirited, and did nothing but complain of neglect, cry over his sufferings, and regret the loss of my attend- ance. He was sure he should die, he said, but he should not die happy unless he saw me first. The nurse said that he had been continually talking of me ; he had amused himself with writing French verses about me, and was never so cheerful, they said, as when he had his slate in his hand, and was working at his poetry. It was fortunate, at least I am glad, that I came back when I did, for the poor fellow died the night after my return. The affair affected me a good deal — I shall never