erous cases."

"Surgeon Wedge, of the Malay," said Cuticle, in a pet, "be pleased to
give _your_ opinion; and let it be definitive, I entreat:" this was
said with a severe glance toward Bandage.

"If I thought," began Wedge, a very spare, tall man, elevating himself
still higher on his toes, "that the ball had shattered and divided the
whole _femur_, including the _Greater_ and _Lesser Trochanter_ the
_Linear aspera_ the _Digital fossa_, and the _Intertrochanteric_, I
should certainly be in favour of amputation; but that, sir, permit me
to observe, is not my opinion."

"Surgeon Sawyer, of the Buccaneer," said Cuticle, drawing in his thin
lower lip with vexation, and turning to a round-faced, florid, frank,
sensible-looking man, whose uniform coat very handsomely fitted him,
and was adorned with an unusual quantity of gold lace; "Surgeon Sawyer,
of the Buccaneer, let us now hear _your_ opinion, if you please. Is not
amputation the only resource, sir?"

"Excuse me," said Sawyer, "I am decidedly opposed to it; for if
hitherto the patient has not been strong enough to undergo the
extraction of the ball, I do not see how he can be expected to endure a
far more severe operation. As there is no immediate danger of
mortification, and you say the ball cannot be reached without making
large incisions, I should support him, I think, for the present, with
tonics, and gentle antiphlogistics, locally applied. On no account
would I proceed to amputation until further symptoms are exhibited."

"Surgeon Patella, of the Algerine," said Cuticle, in an ill-suppressed
passion, abruptly turning round on the person addressed, "will _you_
have the kindness to say whether _you_ do not think that amputation is
the only resource?"

Now Patella was the youngest of the company, a modest man, filled with
a profound reverence for the science of Cuticle, and desirous of
gaining his good opinion, yet not wishing to commit himself altogether
by a decided reply, though, like Surgeon Sawyer, in his own mind he
might have been clearly against the operation.

"What you have remarked, Mr. Surgeon of the Fleet," said Patella,
respectfully hemming, "concerning the dangerous condition of the limb,
seems obvious enough; amputation would certainly be a cure to the
wound; but then, as, notwithstanding his present debility, the patient
seems to have a strong constitution, he might rally as it is, and by
your scientific treatment, Mr. Surgeon of the Fleet"--