Thursday 12 April 2012

12th April 1812: A wounded man visits a Doctor at Lepton, near Huddersfield

Richard Tatterson was doctor who practised surgery at Lepton, four and a half miles from Huddersfield. At 4 p.m. on Sunday 12th April 1812, a stranger called on him for help. The man explained that he had fallen on a rock and damaged his shoulder and wondered if Tatterson could help him, as he needed the wound to be properly dressed.

Tatterson examined him and found that he indeed had a wound at the back of his right shoulder, it was open from the top to the bottom of his arm where it met the shoulder. He could see no debris in it, but estimated that it was 1.5 inches deep and actually wider still. There was extensive bruising. Someone else had tended to it, as some lint was still there at the upper edge of it, and there was some blood, and the man's arm was covered in it.

Tatterson cleaned the wound, and then sewed it shut at both ends and in the middle. Making small talk, the man told him he was from Dalton, to the East of Huddersfield. He dressed the wound and gave the man some salve to treat it should he need to.

The man left without telling him his name.

This is taken from Howell (1823, p.1112-1113).

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