Young Writers Society

007. Blood; Lancing

March, 1764.

Messrs. Joseph Warren, the foremost physician of the Adams’ Family, and Samuel Adams himself are fixated on Samuel, the son, and Hannah who awaited the razor quite favorably while seated patiently in their seats. The son had his linen shirt rolled up so that his bare arm was plainly seen. His sister mimicked him in practice, as her arm too was visible except that Hannah’s blouse was lifted past her shoulder.

“Forgive my departure, Mister Adams. I will return momentarily,” Doctor Warren said, than he turned around and walked briskly outside before the Elder Adams could comment.

Doctor Warren had his wooden-handled razor in his right hand and quickly made his way over to a boy lying in a wood cart. The lad clutched a maple cross tightly against his breast, praying on the Sabbath that the Lord would have mercy on his poor soul. Doctor Warren cocked his head and studied his previous patient who was not to be saved. There were flies feasting and taking pleasure in their soon-to-be corpse by means of licking the flesh – sampling all its goodness. The boy shuddered. His pupils directed their preferred course and twisted themselves straight up into the brain, which now offered Doctor Warren the most melancholy spectacle of two white but very human eggshells in the sockets. Puss oozed freely from the assortment of shapes and textures of the pox that grew on the dieing boy’s flesh – head to toe.

“I am so sorry I cannot help,” Doctor Warren remarked softly. He said a silent prayer to Christ that the smallpox would not affect further the people he cared deeply about, nor his friends either.

With the razor, he lanced a small slice into one of the pox. Fluid immediately presented itself, and with a cotton bandage in the other hand, Doctor Warren dabbed it until the puss soaked the material. Once he had collected what he sought, the doctor walked briskly again to the entrance of the house and stepped indoors.

“It is time,” Doctor Warren declared, then moved first to a small, round table. On top, lied a wooden box that held his surgical instruments. It had a large fork with two, six-inch prongs sharpened to a needlepoint and a pile of bandages. His razor was also part of the box. Nodding, satisfied that he had the precise tools for the procedure, Doctor Warren approached the son carefully. In the corner of the room there was a small oven, filled full of red-hot coals that heated a flat, iron spatula. Its purpose – to cauterizing the worst of the bleeding points if he should accidentally dig too deeply with the razor.

“I am frightened, Father,” the youngest Samuel said. Due to his credit he remained in his seat.

Samuel, who was squatting between his daughter and son, then shifted his weight and put his full attention to the meek voice that caught his attention. He reached out with both palms, gripped the tiny hand of his son, and held it firmly.

“Look away if ye pleases ye but we must all undergo the inoculation. The smallpox has taken sharply, the people.”

“I do not like it, Father!” Hannah shouted.

“Shh!” her father said sharply.

Without further delay, Doctor Warren walked to the right side of the son of Samuel Adams. With his left palm, he put it firmly to the face of the shaking boy. “Shh…,” he cooed sweetly. “Close your eyes. It will hurt, yes, but think how much more if the pox takes hold of your body.” There was a pause. “I am going to lance your arm now,” he said after a few seconds.

The boy tensed and shut his eyes tightly but kept his arm in place.

Doctor Warren who displayed a most solemn expression cut a thin line into the region of the biceps.

The son whimpered at first, most likely out of shock but than despite that he chewed his lower lip, tears emerged regardless. Head hunched over, young Samuel clenched the edge of the chair with his left. His father hesitated not, and stroked the palm of his son tenderly.

“You are behaving wonderfully. Your father shall be proud,” Doctor Warren said in a calm but pleasing tone.

“He already is,” the Elder Samuel said who was still watching his son intently.

The swab that carried the deadly pox was pressed tightly to the wound. With his left, free hand, Doctor Warren slipped it into the pocket of his frock coat and shortly produced a needle and thread.

“This will hurt too,” Doctor Warren said honestly.

The house temporarily went up in arms as Samuel’s son screamed. Doctor Warren thought the poor boy might burst a lung with the hysterics. Young Samuel’s arm had to finally be restrained by his father but that did not stop the kicking of a boy’s feet.

“Dear, brother. Cease on the melodramatics,” Hannah said in an imperious way. Reality speaking of course, she was just as nervous but chose to act in a false manner.

“Your brother thanks ye,” Samuel said before his son could utter a word.
“Finished,” Doctor Warren said in about thirty minutes. “Hannah, I am afraid child, your turn is next.”

She fidgeted in her seat but nodded regardless the fate that awaited her. Like Hannah’s brother, Doctor Warren preformed the exact procedure on her. Whimpering and mumbling escaped her lips as soon as she felt steel touch flesh.

“Shall I hold your hand too?” Hannah’s father asked softly.

She shut her eyes tightly also, and shook her head fiercely in response.

“As ye wish but ask and I shall assist in caressing the discomfort,” Samuel replied gently to her.

Hannah did not mutter one syllable.

“Finished,” Doctor Warren said, which took a mere twenty minutes instead of Hannah’s brother. Her demeanor allowed him to mend the wound in less time. “It is your turn, Mister Adams.”

Hannah hopped off her chair and scurried next to her brother, who had developed quite the fascination for stitches. Looking intently and occasionally stroking the closed wound, young Samuel thought of it as a badge of honor despite the pain he underwent.

“Stop staring at it! Stop!” Hannah hollered to her brother in morbid disgust, and stamped a foot angrily when he ignored her.

Samuel had already rolled up his own linen shirt and presented his right arm for the razor to do its bidding.

“Shut it,” Hannah’s father growled. “Ye are behaving unacceptably like an impudent child in front of the Good Doctor.”

Hannah curtsied. “I apologize, Mister Warren.”

“You are excused. Samuel, I am going to lance your arm now.”

Samuel’s son glanced up from his arm and stared curiously in his father’s direction. His daughter delivered to him a pleasant smile as if lancing had suddenly become a most favorable event in the Adams household.

“Do not worry, Father. It stings for a second,” young Samuel said inocently, solemn-faced.

Samuel snorted to his son’s comment. “Get on with it, please.”

As surely as God as his witness, he thought a great amount of pain had attacked the whole right arm. The hooting and occasional laughter only further embarrassed Samuel but there was little denying the discomfort.

“Let me hold your hand, Father! I can protect you,” young Samuel said.

“Leave… me,” he gurgled.

“But Father…,” Hannah objected.

“Go and tend to ye mother. See – Ow! - If she has improved – Be gentle, Joseph!”

“Stop wiggling and the dressing of your arm will be easier,” Doctor Warren retorted. He did not look up but remained focused intently on his work.

Hannah put a hand over her mouth and giggled.

“Go!” he barked to his children.

They began to run away but before Samuel’s children disappeared from his sight, “See if she has much improved from the pox!” he hollered.


*

Afterward: This story was spawned from photocopies of Samuel Adams’ actual Family Bible. In March of 1764, “They [Hannah and Samuel’s son] also had the small-pox very favorably, by inoculation.” S.A.

There is no record however if Elizabeth Wells, Adams second wife, and he had the same procedure as their children. However, it is positively true that Joseph Warren was not only Samuel’s physician but also his second cousin – John Adams – as well. In fact, Samuel’s son became Warren’s apprenticed but eventually was killed in the American Revolution.

Thanks for reading.

Hey, Jess. ^_^

So, so creepy. I do love the medical procedure description--it makes for very realistic, stomach-churning reading. I could go on for days.

YOU'RE CRAMPING MY STYLE:

The one thing that you give up when you switch from first person to third is partiality. You've got to be objective. Basically? You, as the narrator, set back and let things happen without commenting.

A lot of writers who are really good at first person and then switch into third do things like:

who awaited the razor quite favorably

Which is fine, but it's one of those things where the reader has the capability to disagree. And the one thing you definitely do not want is your reader disagreeing with you over something. You're the boss!

Basically? Read through and take out the phrases that have your opinion in them. Be objective, or go first-person.

ZONE IN, ZONE OUT

This is going to be one of those crazy abstract things, so bear with me. XD

My basic opinion is that third-limited is the only way to go, because omniscent is crazy to read and really, really hard to do. Basically? You're in third person, but you're limited to a particular character. They're the center of attention.

Omniscent is more like watching things unfold, but I think this piece would be a lot more effective in third-limited. You're going to want to pick a focus--I'd suggest Hannah, just because things starring children are more chilling, for some reason.

See the world through her eyes. What is she doing? What does she think of Warren? Of the dead boy? It'll be be easier to do scene description through her eyes, because you only have to do what she sees and what she thinks is worth considering.

__

Feel free to poke me to explain stuff. ^_^ Can't wait for the next!

Haha! Thanks for your insightfulness.

It'll be tricky but I'm afriad Hannah is officially my victim to toy with and taunt and with the given conflict, we might end up with something deliciously entertaining. How can it not be with Sam Adams in the picture?

By the way, for those who might be wondering, according to months of research regarding Sam Adams, yes, he really might have acted as he was in the story. Adams did care for his children but politics derailed too fatherly duties.

Beautiful! All of your works are, though, so that isn't much of a surprise, is it?!

I want to go into medicine and was overwhelmingly giddy when we learned about Victorian medicine and how medicine changed from the American Revolution to the Civil War to now.

You captured just how painful and often times deadly medicine was at the time. Fascinating! I found myself thinking, "Okay, now the doctor will do this...now he'll do that...perfect! Now stitch it up!".

I have a concern, however. I cannot remember exactly when (as to the exact year) the small pox vaccine was created, but I will share what I do know because I'm a bit confused...

1. Dr. Jenner, the man who created the small pox vaccine, lived during the Victorian era. I believe this takes place around the time of George Washington and the Revolution--am I correct?

2. The small pox vaccine was initially done by taking puss from cow pox sores--not small pox sores.

3. The method is a bit...strange. As I mentioned, the vaccine was created during the time of Jenner. There were three things created around the time of the vaccine--morphine, hypodermic needles, and opium. Voila--happy patients. ^^

So again, I'm confused. I know that you're avid with you history, but this just seemed a little off to me. Now, I'm not familiar with any vaccine-like procedures done before the Victorian Era, but I just wanted to share what I knew. So if it's historically recorded that such a procedure existed and was done, enjoy my mini history lesson!

Other than that...

I especially like Hannah--she was adorable. The ending was my favorite--how the kids are tormenting their father and he's in pain, screaming at them to get out of the room. Reminds me of one of my characters, Dartz--he has a dislike of needles and has to be held down when given vaccines. ^^ Your characters are all very believable!!!

-x-Ashes

Hi Zoe!

However, you are correct about Dr. Jenner and the cowpox. His safer way of incoluation was introduced about 1796 - according to the atrocious Wikipedia. (I'm tired after a 40 mile ride, and I don't have the energy to go in an in depth search so Wiki must suffice). !796 is a bit off the mark for when the pox went into its rampage. Had Dr. Jenner found the answer sooner with cowpox, then yes, the premise of how this story was set up in 1768 would have been different. Unfortunately, the era of the story doesn't reflect the date of Jenner's discovery.

Supplanted by vaccination
Main article: Vaccination
In 1796, Edward Jenner introduced the far safer method of inoculation with the cowpox virus, a non-fatal virus that also induced immunity to smallpox. This led to smallpox inoculation falling into disuse and eventually being banned in England in 1840.

Check this quote too since inoculations have been long in effect since 1720, which I did not know.

The practice was introduced to the west by Lady Mary Wortley Montagu (May 26, 1689-August 21, 1762). Lady Montagu's husband, Edward Wortley Montagu, served as the British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire from 1716 to 1717. She witnessed inoculation in Constantinople,[3] and was greatly impressed[4]: she had lost a brother to smallpox and bore facial scars from the disease herself. In March 1718 she had the embassy surgeon, Charles Maitland, inoculate her five-year-old son. In 1721, after returning to England, she had her four-year-old daughter inoculated[5]. She invited friends to see her daughter, including Sir Hans Sloane, the King's physician. Sufficient interest arose that Maitland gained permission to test inoculation at Newgate prison in exchange for their freedom on six prisoners due to be hanged, an experiment which was witnessed by a number of notable doctors.[6] All survived, and in 1722 the Prince of Wales' daughters received inoculations[7].

The practice of inoculation slowly spread amongst the royal families of Europe, usually followed by more general adoption amongst the people.

The practice is documented in America as early as 1721, when Zabdiel Boylston, at the urging of Cotton Mather, successfully inoculated two slaves and his own son. Mather, a prominent Boston minister, had heard a description of the African practice of inoculation from his Sudanese slave, Onesimus, in 1706, but had been previously unable to convince local physicians to attempt the procedure.[8] Following this initial success, Boylston began performing inoculations throughout Boston, despite much controversy and at least one attempt upon his life. The effectiveness of the procedure was proven when, of the nearly three hundred people Boylston inoculated during the outbreak, only six died, whereas the mortality rate among those who contracted the disease naturally was one in six.[9]

Natural experiment in inoculation
around Boston, 1721
Total Died % Mortality
Variolated c 300 6 c 2%
Unvariolated c 6000 c 1000 "about 14%"
In France considerable opposition arose to the introduction of inoculation. Voltaire, in his Lettres Philosophiques, wrote a criticism of his countrymen for being opposed to inoculation and having so little regard for the welfare of their children, concluding that "had inoculation been practised in France it would have saved the lives of thousands.".

Inoculation grew in popularity in Europe through the 18th century. Given the high prevalence and often severe consequences of smallpox in Europe in the 18th century (according to Voltaire, there was a 60% incidence of first infection, a 20% mortality rate, and a 20% incidence of severe scarring),many parents felt that the benefits of inoculation outweighted the risks and so inoculated their children.

Technically the only possible inaccuracy that can be sighted in this story is that Doctor Warren may have used a lancet rather than a straight razor but he was about in his thirties and young. That being said, I could not sight specific sources. Warren was very close to the Adamses so it was unlikely that Doctor Church performed the procedures on Sam Adams's children.

2. The small pox vaccine was initially done by taking puss from cow pox sores--not small pox sores.

I'm sorry Zoe but I respectfully disagree. And that opinion was somewhat reassured when I did brief scouting on Jenner since Wiki states he sought the cowpox vac was safer then using human who couldn't be cured from smallpox in 1796 (sorry to repeat) when the epidemic was well in advance in the mid 1700s. In Sam Adams's diary, his children really went through the inoculation process in 1768.

The method is a bit...strange. As I mentioned, the vaccine was created during the time of Jenner. There were three things created around the time of the vaccine--morphine, hypodermic needles, and opium

Jenner, Warren and Church were doctors but not physicians. A Physician was a man who used his mind; by restoring health through series of study, diagnosis, treatment and surgery. That's where the surgeon comes in handy but don't confuse the two I've done it before - oops! Opium being from poppy would have likely when prescribed by a well trained physician in the 1700s but if my memory is on par, Opium was readily in more use during the 1800s.

Morphine, unfortunately wasn't used in the 18th c. In fact, doctors knew nothing about disinfecting or infections in general. A fact that I had also discovered recently, which means I have to edit my cemetery story at some point. To make it even more interesting, when Nabby Adams, John Adams' daughter developed a tumor in her breast, she was straddled by Warren on her knee with several others in the same room overlooking the surgery. Warren, however, didn't perform the full procedure. Too young and inexperienced at the time. Benjamin Rush I believe performed the procedure on Nabby - and she was kept awake. No "pain killers," only that she had to bite down on a leather strap to suppress the unbelievable pain she must have underwent.

[steps off soapbox] Whew! Sorry about all that - talk? I suppose it's the fatigue. I enjoyed your history lesson very much. It was precisely your lesson made me do some further digging. Yay!

Again, so sorry for the long, last post. XD

That is why I thought a new post would be easier while I gush over the characters. XD

I loved the turnout of the ending as well. The Father of the Revolution was behaving no better than his son. The signer of the DOI and he is acting like a giant baby. I should have had Warren used the spatula on Hannah. I thought he was more of a brat than anything.

(I love discussing history with you )

Disinfectants were invented during the 1800s--I had to write a paper about Joseph Lister and carbolic acid. (Listerine got it's name from him!!!)

Morphine isn't a disinfectant--it's a drug. Such a powerful drug, in fact, that no one under the influence of it, doctor given or not (it's a painkiller used in hospitals, you know), is, by law, truthful. It impairs thinking and such so that the government/police won't accept anything someone taking morphine says. And you're right, it wasn't used in the 18th CENTURY--it was used in the 18 HUNDREDS. ^^ I just had to point that out--I noticed that you said it wasn't used in the 18th c, but not the 1800s.

It wasn't smart of me to say that opium was 'invented', was it? Opium has been around for centuries, but it wasn't a real probelm until the 1800s--the Opium War and all that jazz happened then.

You know, I don't even believe that Jenner was a doctor...I believe he was a scientist...but I think I'm mixing him and someone else up. (I'm very tired at the moment) All I know is that most people of the age, though inventing and discovering wonderful things that have benefited humankind, weren't very educated themselves.

Ouch, I can't imagine how painful cancer treatment at the time was! They didn't even know it was cancer, did they? With no way of knowing about cells and such, how could they have? Poor girl...I hope she didn't get an infection!

Oh, it's fine!!! Haha, I'm glad that you liked the little lesson, and that you researched the topic even further!!! Yes, Wiki isn't a very reliable site. Try....WedMd MIGHT have it, though I'm not certain. They're more up-to-date with modern medicine.