From: st871622@pip.cc.brandeis.edu (not him again)
Subject: RE: Aircraft Dismemberments IV
Date: Wed, 3 Aug 1994 19:33:54 GMT


temert@eis.calstate.edu (Tim J Emert) writes:

: Well, we dropped it in a plastic baggie and put it on ice  (teacher also
: cut his finger off once, so knew what to do. Keep it cold  and dry.
: Right, Tae?) and sent him off to the emergency room, who took  one look
: at the mangled chunk of meat in the baggie and threw it in the  trash. 

Absotively correct. You _could_ actually wrap the amputated part in gauze
moistened with saline, but let's be serious for a moment: who the hell
keeps saline around? Very rarely are amputated parts less than a 1/4 inch
in length re-attached. It simply isn't worth the effort. And if the part is
mangled or really dirty - forget it.

ObAside: I was once called to a posh home in Wellesley, MA, for a report
of an 'amputation.' Upon arrival, I found a fourty-ish year-old women with
an ENORMOUS bandage covering her hand. The fire department said that they
recovered the amputated part, and had it on ice. I asked to look at the
part, and saw the tip of the woman's finger in a platic bag. Twasn't more
than, oh say, 1/8 inch in length.

"Uh ma'am, I hate to say this - but I doubt that they'll be able to re-attach
such a small piece back on."

"But they've GOT TO - I'm a concert violinist!"

"Well, we'll take it with us - but no promises."

After getting to the hospital, the surgeon took one look at this 'tip' and
said:

"Sorry - can't do anything with this," and promptly dumped the baggie into
the trash.

The grief-stricken woman stared straight ahead and said:

"I'll never play the violin again."

Most of the staff made their excuses and left the room - unable to stifle
the urge to laugh.

- Tae