THE 
 
 OF MARY ROESLI; 
 
 A TRUE STORY. 
 
 BY MARY ROESLI. 
 
 BOSTON: 
 
 1' R K S S K W. L. D E L A N D AND SON 
 
 Congress Building, 4 Post-office Square. 
 
 1880.
 
 UCSB LIBRARY 
 
 
 THE 
 
 MISFORTUNES OF MARY ROESLI; 
 
 STORY. 
 
 BY MARY ROESLI. 
 
 BOSTON: 
 
 PRESS OF W. L. DELAND AND SON, 
 
 Congress Building, 4 Post-office Square. 
 
 1880.
 
 1 8 CONCORD SQUARE. 
 
 THE subject of this story is well known to me personally. 
 I cannot judge of her accuracy in giving a detailed account 
 of her surgical treatment, but I know MARY ROESLI to 
 be a truthful, good girl. She has been, and is, a great 
 sufferer, and she has borne her trials very patiently and 
 uncomplainingly. Her mother is very much straightened 
 in means : and without taking council of any one, I be- 
 lieve, Mary has written this little sketch of her experience, 
 hoping to enlist the sympathies of the benevolent and 
 add something to the resources of her family. She placed 
 the narrative in my hands a day or two since, and, with- , 
 out her solicitation, I have appended to it these few words 
 as a testimonial of her good character. 
 
 HENRY WILLIAMS.
 
 BOSTON, Feb. 22, 1873. 
 
 SINCE this story was first put into print, the ROESLI 
 family have lost nearly everything they had in the world 
 by the Great Fire. They lived in attic rooms on Summer 
 Street, within a few doors of the corner of Kingston Street, 
 and were soon driven out of their home by the fire, 
 escaping with only a few things, some of which were 
 afterwards stolen from them. Though they have received 
 kind aid from the Committee on Chardon Street, and 
 from others who have interested themselves in behalf of 
 the family, they still need a good many things which 
 they have not the means to purchase, and they are well 
 deserving of additional aid from the charitable. 
 
 H. WILLIAMS.
 
 THE 
 
 MISFORTUNES OF MARY ROESLI; 
 
 THE LOST ARM. 
 
 IN placing before a generous public this little book 
 bearing the above title, it is my desire to speak in 
 an impartial manner of each one of the physicians 
 connected with the treatment of my arm after the 
 unfortunate accident which befell me a few years 
 since on the Boston and Maine Railroad, and to give 
 a precise statement regarding my sufferings, to the 
 best of my knowledge, with the assistance of my 
 parents ; and in the meantime to thank every per- 
 son who is willing to extend to me the small com- 
 pensation I desire to procure for this book, and thus 
 in some measure alleviate my permanent misfortune^ 
 the loss of my right arm. 
 
 In company with my parents, on the afternoon of
 
 6 THE MISFORTUNES OF MARY ROESLI. 
 
 November 2, I was starting to go from Melrose to 
 Boston, between 3 and 4 o'clock. The cars being 
 some fifteen minutes late though this was unknown 
 to me upon reaching Melrose, simply came to a 
 stop, and hardly gave the passengers time to get 
 aboard. By a sudden start, as I had just mounted 
 the car platform, I was instantly thrown under the 
 car, and my arm was crushed at the elbow by the 
 forward wheels, and but for the immediate assistance 
 of my father, who drew me from my perilous position, 
 I should undoubtedly have been killed. The train 
 was stopped at once, and after I was placed in the 
 car, every assistance was given me that the kind 
 passengers could extend, and after my arm was care- 
 fully bound up, the conductor advised my father to 
 take me to Maiden, as the nearest place to get it 
 properly dressed. Unfortunately the doctor upon 
 whom we called was absent from his office, and did 
 not return until 9 o'clock in the evening. When he 
 reached home he examined my arm and pronounced 
 amputation necessary, which he performed that night 
 After remaining four days at Maiden, under the 
 physician's care, I was transferred to the Massachu-
 
 THE MISFORTUNES OF MARY ROESLI. 7 
 
 setts General Hospital in Boston, where, being ex- 
 amined, the surgeon pronounced a second amputa- 
 tion necessary, as the bone was mortifying from not 
 being properly dressed at the first operation. 
 
 Five weeks after this operation another was deemed 
 necessary, as the arm would not heal. Eight weeks 
 later, another amputation was made for the same 
 cause. 
 
 Twelve weeks after this last operation, and on 
 account of continual pain, I was again admitted into 
 the hospital, and submitted to another amputation 
 on account of the bone mortifying ; and, as the flesh 
 was slow in healing, I was detained in the hospital 
 five months, after which I was permitted to return 
 home ; but still the arm continued to cause me in- 
 cessant pain, and made me often very sick, but yet 
 no relief could be afforded me. 
 
 An artificial arm was given me by one of the kind 
 physicians, but its weight caused the pain in my arm 
 to increase, and I was soon obliged to abandon it. 
 
 After trying several treatments under different 
 surgeons, and no remedy staying my constant suffer- 
 ing, I again applied to the City Hospital for admit-
 
 8 THE MISFORTUNES OF MARY ROESLI. 
 
 tance, which was granted, and I was so subject to 
 fainting that my only nourishment was milk and lime 
 water. Here, in the above-named hospital, I re- 
 mained three months, but still very weak from sick- 
 ness, I was sent home, and for five months I was a 
 constant sufferer from feeble health. 
 
 Some time afterwards my arm again became so 
 painful that it was impossible for me to sleep at 
 night or during the day, and my first attending 
 physician at the General Hospital told me that noth- 
 ing was the matter that he could see, but my arm 
 continued so painful I was obliged to go to the City 
 Hospital in February of the next year, and the doctor 
 there told me that the arm was dislocated at the 
 shoulder, and in order to cure me it would be neces- 
 sary to amputate the remaining part of the limb by 
 taking it from the socket at the shoulder. 
 
 At first I hesitated about the operation for to 
 lose the entire arm is indeed a great misfortune 
 but I could think only of my intense sufferings, con- 
 sequently I consented to have the last operation per- 
 formed. So after being placed in a partially insensible 
 condition from the effects of ether, the bone was
 
 THE MISFORTUNES OF MARY ROESLI. 9 
 
 removed, and with it six little tumors ; and although 
 the pain was torturing, I never uttered a cry or 
 showed any signs of distress, which somewhat aston- 
 ished the physicians and students who saw the oper- 
 ation. 
 
 On the first of April following, the doctor sent me 
 to my home, and as the shoulder gave no signs of 
 healing I visited one of the hospital surgeons at his 
 house, who, after examining the shoulder, said it 
 would not heal, because in uniting the flesh after 
 the bone was removed the raw flesh was placed over 
 the skin opposite, and could not possibly unite any 
 more than placing the two hands together. 
 
 On the first of May, another operation of the 
 shoulder flesh was necessary, in order that it might 
 be properly placed in a position to heal ; and though 
 I think I may say I stood this operation with some 
 fortitude, as it elicited the remark from several physi- 
 cians that I was "courageous," yet the reader will 
 understand that such remarks are generally made to 
 render the sometimes timid, brave, but my silent suf- 
 fering was terrible to me. During the three weeks 
 that I remained in the hospital my arm began to
 
 10 THE MISFORTUNES OF MARY ROESLI. 
 
 heal and pain me, and at times it would almost 
 break my heart, yet still I hoped for relief as time 
 passed on. But as hopes availed nothing, I again 
 visited the surgeon who performed the last operation. 
 
 The encouragement he gave me was that the only 
 method left for treatment was to cut off the pro- 
 truding flesh and leave the shoulder open, and yet 
 the operation was of so serious a nature that death 
 might ensue, thereiore that surgeon did not dare 
 proceed on my account ; finally he resorted to ice- 
 bags (so-called) ; but, more definitely explained, they 
 were little bags filled with ice and placed on my 
 back near the shoulder of the lost arm. This treat- 
 ment relieved me a great deal from pain ; but soon, 
 in spite of it, the pain began anew, and blisters 
 were applied, but to no effect. Morphine was then 
 rubbed over the shoulder, and my medicine was 
 iodine but still the pain continued ; and four months 
 I remained in the hospital suffering intensely from 
 my ailment, and in this condition I was sent home. 
 
 Again, in December, I returned and was subjected 
 to the severe treatment of having four holes burnt in 
 my back with a hot iron ; this was done to keep the
 
 THE MISFORTUNES OF MARY ROESLI. II 
 
 flesh open, but to no effect, and in one week's time 
 they closed, and the pain commenced again ; and 
 from the time of my accident to the present day no 
 comfort have I received from the hands of any physi- 
 cian, although they probably have done all they can 
 to give me relief. And through the introduction of 
 this little book it is my desire to get some assistance. 
 
 Mary has lately lost father and mother, and is 
 alone with a young sister and am anxious to earn my 
 living in an honorable way. 
 
 To all young girls who are blessed with both arms 
 my thoughts go forth, " how fortunate ;" and in clos- 
 ing my little work I sincerely trust that no accident, 
 no matter of how light a character, will ever befall 
 any of my fortunate friends and again the girl of 
 the lost arm breathes a fervent "God bless you," and 
 a grateful good-bye.
 
 ye 33. UBRARf
 
 802 5