Diary: Caleb E. Iddings, 1902

Rain Snow & Sleet. Ther. 30° Wednesday, March 5^th Wind N.E. 64 Days Past 301 To Come Dr. Stuart McGuire - Continued. CASE 2. - Mrs. M. K., aged 29; patient St. Luke's Hospital. Cystic disease of ovaries and chronic inflammation of appendix. Double Beattie-Tait, and appendectomy. Gave Gude's Pepto-Mangan 20 days. First count, 3,950,000 red corpuscles to the cubic millimetre. Second count, 4,000,000 to the cubic millimetre. Discharged well.

Last night was an extremely stormy one, and this morning everything is covered with four or five inches of snow and sleet on top of it and still raining and freezing as it falls. Edwd and the boys from next door were obliged to turn out and remove broken down poles & tangled wires out of the roads etc. and again this afternoon, Edwd & Frank Robison went out on line No. 10 & fix it up in some fashion so that communication can be had with "Brighton" etc. I went to the store & P.O. After supper Edwd & Frank went up to Henderson's for a while, to have some music.

Ther. 25° Thursday, March 6^th Wind N.W. 65 Days Past Clear 300 To Come Dr. Stuart McGuire - Continued. CASE 3. - Miss C. H., aged 22; patient St. Luke's Hospital. History of frequent attacks of hepatic colic - no jaundice. Opened the gall-bladder and removed a calculus one inch in diameter. Gave Gude's Pepto-Mangan 28 days. First count, 3,940,000 red corpuscles to the cubic millimetre. Second count, 3,900,000 to the cubic millimetre. Bile still escaping from fistula, but patient otherwise well.

Clear & bright today. Edwd went out to repair the lines down towards Spencerville etc. sending another gang towards "Olney" Oak Dale etc. Willie & Fanny came and took dinner with us. A Mr. - Dixson came to the office for advice etc. He is working on the new bridge in place of the old "Snell's Bridge across the Patuxent Afternoon Sister Lizzie made us quite a little visit. Edwd came home at 6-45 this afternoon or evening. having been through a pretty rough day of it.

Ther. 28° Friday, March 7^th Wind S.E. 66 Days Past Clear & Cloudy. 299 To Come Dr. Stuart McGuire - Continued. CASE 4. - Miss A. N., aged 32; patient St. Luke's Hospital. History of sudden peritonitis accompanied by profound sepsis. Exploratory incision revealed a pedunculated fibroid tumor of uterus, gangrenous from twisted pedicle. Myomectomy. Gave Gude's PeptoMangan 36 days. First count, 3,800,000 red corpuscles to cubic millimetre. Second count, 4,000,000 to the cubic millimetre. Good recovery.

Edwd went after early breakfast, together with Phil Robison & one or two others to Laurel, expecting to be gone until tomorrow evening to straighten out the telephone system there. Cousin Hannah Archer went to "Bloomfield" to stay a day or two whilst Hallie Bentley is gone to Alexandria. I went to store & P.O. several times. After supper I went to Brown's store & to Frank Lea's lecture & reading room, over the old wheelwright shop; where he show'd me his interesting collection of African curiosities.

Ther. 32° Saturday, March 8^th Wind S.E. 67 Days Past Cloudy & Rainy. 298 To Come Dr. Stuart McGuire - Continued. CASE 5. - Miss E. J., aged 17. Patient St. Luke's Hospital. Spinal irritation from a fall. Anæmic, emaciated, and confined to bed for more than a year from contraction of ham-string muscles. Electricity, massage, and passive movements. Gave Gude's PeptoMangan 46 days. First count, 3,650,000 red corpuscles to the cubic millimetre. Second count, 4,425,000 to the cubic millimetre. Her menses, which had been suppressed, became regular. She fattened 20 pounds, and left the hospital walking with a cane.

I walked to Ashton & back before lunch. Willie came over & lunched with us, taking Dora back with him to make a visit at "Fairfield". I went to the P.O. & received my pension check & had it cashed at the bank. sent $18.00 to Chas G Porter (by Willie.) Cousin Hanah Archer came back from "Bloomfield" afternoon. It has been more or less rainy all day, and continues tonight up to bedtime. After supper I went again to stores & to Fairall's office. Edwd did not get home until after nine o clock tonight, the roads being so bad & having but one horse to a heavy wagon with four men in it they came very slowly.

Ther. Sunday, March 9^th Wind Variable. 68 Days Past Clear 297 To Come Dr. Stuart McGuire - Continued. CASE 6. - Miss B. T., aged 21. Patient St. Luke's Hospital. Retroverted uterus, bound down by adhesions. Opened abdomen, freed organ, and stitched it to anterior abdominal wall. Gave Gude's Pepto-Mangan 30 days. First count, 3,900,000 red corpuscles to the cubic millimetre. Second count, 3,950,000 to the cubic millimetre. Complete relief from symptoms.

It has been clear & bright all day. I went to meeting & heard a sermon from Edwd Farquhar. there was a slim attendance, it being quarterly meeting in Balto. today. Afternoon Willie brought Dora home with a "sick headache", as usual when she attends church service. W remained until after supper. "Hallie" Bentley called (whilst we were at supper) on her way home from Alexandria. where she had been to see cousin Hannah who has met with a serious accident, in falling down stairs (in the dark), breaking her left arm & otherwise injuring herself. After supper I went to the P.O. to mail some letters & called at the toll house.

Ther. 30° Monday, March 10^th Wind S.W. 69 Days Past Clear. 296 To Come Dr. Stuart McGuire - Continued. CASE 7. - Master D. S. J., aged 9. Patient St. Luke's Hospital. Acute suppurative osteomyelitis of femur, tibia, and tarsus on one side and of tibia and tarsus on the other. Amputated one limb and used chisel and curette on the other. Gave Gude's Pepto-Mangan 45 days. First count, 3,720,000 red corpuscles to the cubic millimetre. Second count, 4,600,000 to the cubic millimetre. Patient discharged with well-healed stump, but incision in ankle is still draining.

Edwd went out on the lines in various directions. - Dixson & - Bulger. came to the office for advice & medicine etc. They have been working on the new bridges over the Patuxent. I went to the store & P.O. Afternoon Willie and Alice Peirce came and took tea with us. Edwd came home in time for supper. After supper I went to Brown's store and paid a small balance I owed him.

Ther. 38° Tuesday, March 11^th Wind S.E. 70 Days Past Clear. 295 To Come Dr. Stuart McGuire - Continued. CASE 8. - Mrs. H. E. W., aged 48. Patient St. Luke's Hospital. Carcinoma of cervix; vaginal hysterectomy by clamp method. Had a bad liver and an irritable stomach, and though Pepto-Mangan (Gude) was tried in varying doses and at different times during convalescence, she was never able to take it for more than a day or two consecutively. First count, 3,400,000 red corpuscles to the cubic millimetre. Second count not made. Case made a slow recovery, but is now well.

Cousin Hannah Archer left after an early breakfast (6-30) going to Laurel with Wallace Bond on her way to Alexandria Va to help nurse cousin Hannah Chandlee. Edwd went to various places "on the line" driving one of C F Brooke's horses, he came home to lunch & went again afternoon. I went to store & P.O. Towards evening Edwd took Brooke's horse home & walked back After supper he went in next door. and I went to Hurlebaus & Brown's stores.

Ther. 40 Wednesday, March 12^th Wind S.E. 71 Days Past Clear & Cloudy. 294 To Come Dr. Stuart McGuire - Continued. CASE 9. - Master R. G., aged 14. Patient St. Luke's Hospital. Compound depressed fracture of skull from a three-pound mass of type metal falling five stories. Trephined and removed blood clots and spiculæ of bone. Gave Gude's Pepto-Mangan 21 days. First count, 3,900,000 red corpuscles to the cubic millimetre. Second count, 3,800,000 to the cubic millimetre. The loss was less than anticipated, as the boy was injured while in vigorous health. Recovery rapid and complete.

Edwd walked to "Brooke Grove" for the horse & buggy, after which he drove to Oakdale & Rockville on telephone business. Albin Brooke called for some rings etc. which Willie left here for him. H's wash woman came this morning. I went to the store & P.O. & Fairall's office. Afternoon Fanny and Alice Peirce came to spend afternoon little Dora with them. and went back before supper. Mr. Amos Holland was buried at Friend's Meeting house cemetery this afternoon. Edward came home about dark, and took the horse & buggy to "Brooke Grove" after eating his supper. I went to the store & to Fairall's office after dark.

Cloudy & Rain Ther. 49° Thursday, March 13^th Wind Variable 72 Days Past 293 To Come Dr. Stuart McGuire - Continued. CASE 10. - Mrs. A. E. S., aged 27. Patient St. Luke's Hospital. Indigestion, constipation and dysmenorrhœa. Rapid dilation of cervix. Gave Gude's PeptoMangan 34 days. First count, 3,900,000 red blood corpuscles to the cubic millimetre. Second count, 4,400,000 to the cubic millimetre. Bowels became regular, menstruation painless and strength and weight increased.

Cloudy & rainy in showers. Edwd started Phil & Frank Robison & Geo. Johnson with "Dan" and the wagon to look after the wires down towards Ashton & beyond. Whilst he went himself, (after getting a horse & conveyance from J. T. Moore Jr's) to "Ednor" & then over towards "Unity" etc., taking lunch with him. Afternoon Levi Bell & another youth cut wood at wood pile an hour. I bought some fresh fish from "Petitt." Edwd came home before supper time. After supper I went to Brown's store. The wind changed to N.W. and has been blowing strong ever since up to bed time tonight. It has cleared off and is bright moonlight.

Ther. 35° Friday, March 14^th Wind N.W. 73 Days Past Clear. 292 To Come Dr. Stuart McGuire - Continued. CASE 11. - Mrs. W. A. M., aged 29. Patient St. Luke's Hospital. Symptoms of long-existing ovarian and uterine trouble, to which had recently been added those of inflammation of the appendix. On section the uterus was found retroverted, the ovaries cystic, the appendix impacted and adherent, and the intestines filled with lumbricoids. The uterus was righted and stitched to the anterior abdominal wall, the ovaries and appendix removed, and later a brisk purgatie expelled the worms. Gave Gude's Pepto-Mangan 18 days. First count, 4,200,000 red corpuscles to the cubic millimetre. Second count 4,310,000 to the cubic millimetre. Recovery and complete relief from symptoms.

This has been a beautiful spring like day. I walked to Ashton & back before lunch. Edwd was about-home all forenoon and afternoon went to tune pianos down toward's Ashton. Harry Lea came and took supper with us. going to Jno Bentleys to spend the night inttnding to start for home tomorrow morning. Jno B going with him to Washington. After supper Miss Elle Henderson called