CHAPTER 15

Summary

As promised, the doctor arrived in the afternoon. He was a thin, quiet, little man who was disturbed by the war. With disapproval and distaste, he removed a number of small steel splinters from his thighs, under a local anesthesia. He then decided to take an x-ray to give a detailed picture of HenryÂ’s condition. The doctor who took the x-ray was efficient, excitable, and cheerful and hoped that Henry had killed many Austrians. He also flirted with Miss Gage, calling her Cleopatra. Later, Catherine brought the x-ray reports. Three medical doctors, who looked inefficient to Henry, looked at his wound and found it was without pus indicating that infection had not set in. They determined that Henry would have to wait for three to six months for an operation while the synovial fluid reformed and projectiles encysted. Henry disagreed with the doctors and asked the house doctor to ask for some other surgeon to examine him.

Two hours later, Dr.Valentini came in and examined him. He decided that he would operate upon HenryÂ’s knee the very next morning. The major doctor decided that Henry looked healthy as a goat and even allowed him a drink.

Notes

We come to know that HenryÂ’s wound is not superficial and is a cause for concern. There are a lot of steel splinters embedded in his leg, which should be removed immediately. The three medical doctors, all below the rank of First Captain, are inefficient and decide that Henry should be operated on after six months. Henry cannot visualize himself in bed for such a long time. Dr.Valentini holds the rank of a major, and he decides, to HenryÂ’s relief, that he will operate the next day.

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