Cape Breton's Magazine

and sleep." So he did, he had a nice lit? tle sleep. Dr. MacMillan--the first night he came to Baddeck here, I was with him that night. That same night, I was going to get supper. A knock came to the door. And it was Mor? rison. He said, "Can you come up to the house?" His wife was expecting a baby. I said, "Is she very sick now?" He said, "No, she's not very sick. She's just started, and I guess she has an idea that her ba? by's going to be born now." I said, "Would I have time to make supper?" He said, "Yes, I think so." So I did, I had my supper, and I got ready, and I went up to the house. I got in there. And she said, "There's no doctor in town." "Well," I said, "perhaps we can get along without the doctor." And I thought, after a long time--I got her all ready, you know, for • her delivery and all that--Jack came home that day, he'd said, "There's a new doctor in Baddeck." And she was getting pretty near delivering her baby..And I thought. Well now, I'd love to deliver this alone, you know, but then, I'd better not. I said, "There's a new doctor came to Baddeck to? day, and he's over in the hotel. You'd bet? ter run over and get him." So, he was only here a few hours, you know, and he was pretty nervous. On his first case. So he came, boy, and he came up the stairs, and he almost went headfirst at the top of the stairs, he was in such a hurry. And he was nervous. And I intro? duced myself. I knew his name. I knew that Dr. MacMillan was coming--that's all I knew about him. And I took him in the room. "Oh," he said, "you've got everything all ready." They didn't have a bathroom, you know--a basin in the bedroom. So I got some water for him, and put a blue pill in the water, and towels and everything. And he put his sleeves up to here, scrubbed his hands and his fingernails with the brush, cleaned himself. And I thought, Gee, this is going to be a good doctor, all right. So he went to work and he examined her, and boy, the baby was well on its way. I could have got the baby myself, for that matter. But anyway, she complained a lot, she made a big fuss. So, I'd have to give the chloroform, you know, for the doctor. (How did you give it?) Oh, from a little mask on her face, and sprinkle a little on. I'd stop giving it to her when the pain would stop, you see. And then when the pain would start to come, I'd give her an? other little whiff of it, see. Finally, she dozed off into this sleep, all right enough. So we got her baby all right-- didn't have to use instruments or anything. It came very nicely. (Did doctors tend to use instrijments, or did they tend to wait?) Well, if he finds that the baby won't come without instru? ments, he'll have to. Oh, I've been with a woman--2 women--that we didn't think we could save her. I was there 2 nights and 2 days, labour. And pains were no good. And the doctor said to me, "What'11 I do, Ja? nie?" I said, "I don't know, doctor, I'm afraid it's too late to take her to the hospital for a caesarean." Had to take them to Sydney to have a caesarean birth. "Yes," he said, "I think you're right there." I said, "It's too bad she didn't go to Sydney the first." It was her first baby, and she wasn't young. So he said, "I guess we have to try and save the mother if we can." "Well," I said, "I'm getting tired, doctor, and I know you're getting tired. I haven't had any sleep for 2 nights now, and no rest all day." So, "Well," he said, "I think we'll just have to try and get this baby, that's all." He said, "But we'll have to have help." So, the sisters were out in the kitchen-- this is a farm, in a country house. So I went out to the door of the kitchen and I opened the door, and I said, "Would you girls come in and help me?" They went out the back door that quick, and into the woods they went. And I never saw a sign of them any more. Well, I went back and I told the doctor, "The women are gone to the woods." I said, "How about taking the man in--the sister's husband?" "Yes," the doctor said, "anybody that'll give us a CONTINUED NEXT PAGE Think NSAC For a Future in Agriculture The Nova Scotia Agricultural College is dedicated to helping young men and women prepare for a wide range of important occupations associated with food production including related industries and management of our living environment. We offer university courses; • A complete Bachelor of Science in Agriculture • B.Sc.(Agr.) with op? tions in Agricultural Economics, Animal Science, Plant Science and Plant Protection. • Bachelor of Engineering in Agri? cultural Engineering • B.E.(Agr.) first three years. • Pre-Veterinary Medicine Department of Agriculture & Marketing Hon. Gerald Sheehy, D.V.M., Minister We offer technical courses; • Agricultural Business Technician • Agricultural Mechanization Technician • Animal Science Technician • Farm Equipment Technician • Plant Science Technician • Agricultural Technology • Biology Laboratory Technology • Chemistry Laboratory Technology • Farming Technology • Ornamental Horticulture Technology m.'':'- For more information contact The REGISTRAR, N.S. Agricultural College, Truro, N.S. B2N 5E3