One night a motorcyclist crashed into a bridge. rider was on his way home from a . Traveling at about 70 mph on the unlit, -lane road, he lost control on a curve. He next to his motorcycle for 20 minutes before passerby noticed the wreckage.

A half hour later, rider was lying on a gurney in the hospital. Moaning in pain, he was unaware of condition or whereabouts. The emergency room doctors gave no medication—they needed to examine him thoroughly before him to surgery.

His jaw was broken, as all three bones in his right leg. Part his femur was protruding through his thigh, and was a deep hole in his shin just his knee. Dr. Kildare wanted to amputate the ’s leg just below the knee. He said the in the shin was so deep that infection be inevitable. He figured amputation now would be than amputation later.

Dr. Welby disagreed. He said patient was young enough to heal rapidly, with possibility of significant infection. Since Dr. Welby was charge, the patient was allowed to keep his .

The day following surgery, the patient achieved brief in his hospital room. He didn’t notice that leg was suspended and completely immobilized. He didn’t that there was an IV tube and needle into the back of each hand. He didn’t that his jaw was wired shut. All he was that a beautiful young nurse was looking him. He tried to introduce himself, but he no idea what his name was. He went back to sleep.