A keg of French brandy

Although it is rare, a clash between smugglers and Revenue Officers can sometimes result in injury or even death. On that matter I should relate a tale that Dr Arthur Quartley - for many years the only surgeon in Christchurch - is still fond of telling.

In about 1784, when he had only recently qualified as a medical man and was newly arrived in the town, he was awoken one wintry night by two men urgently banging on his front door. At their insistence he dutifully rode off in their company and was taken to a remote cottage in the Forest.

Inside was a young man in sea faring garb who was clearly in great pain - he had been shot during a fight with Revenue Officers. Dr Quartley successfully extracted a pistol ball from the fellow’s back, but warned that moving might yet kill him. Fearing that if he remained in the cottage he might be apprehended and hanged, the young man chose to risk death and had his companions remove him on a cart. His work done, but not knowing if his patient would live or die, Dr Quartley was escorted home.

Some days later on Dr Quartley’s doorstep was found a keg of fine French brandy on which was written in chalk “Left for the doctor’s fee.”

This story concludes some 15 years later when Dr Quartley visited a friend who resided near the

River Avon. After dining the two men decided to take a boat out on the river. As he got into the rowboat Dr Quartley noticed that one of the oarsmen was paying him particular attention. When he queried this the oarsman declared that he was the very man from whom the doctor had extracted the pistol ball all those years earlier.

Dr Quartley’s nocturnal ride had indeed saved the young man’s life.

Did you know?

Before the development of pain-dulling anaesthetics in the mid 19th century patients undergoing surgery often had to rely on the swiftness of the surgeon and their own ability to endure the pain.

You can listen to the audio track for this trail spot below, or read the audio transcript.