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Marshall Santos is kneeling down beside a grave marker in Boot Hill Cemetery just outside Dodge City. He mulls over a few things. "Around Dodge City and in the western territories, there is just one way to handle all the killers and the spoilers, and that is with a US Marshall and the smell of gun smoke. This is Mannysmoke, the transcribed story of the violence that moved west with young America and the story of a man who moved with it. I am that man, Danny "Matt Dillion" Santos, United States Marshall. Out here, I remind myself of how violence always ends, buried in the rim of a nation on the edge of the wild frontier. Some were slaughtered aimlessly, the rest I killed. I'm a lawman and a US Marshall. Law comes hard to the frontier and men like these did not want it. And there are more men alive today who will come to Dodge City that do not want it. They are the drifters and the lawless and they have to be dealt with. I am the first man they look for and the last one they want to meet. It is a chancy job, and it makes a man watchful and a little lonely."
The operation complete, Miss Abigail walked into the ranch kitchen, her apron blood soaked. She asked for coffee and Cassie gave her some and then helped her clean up. Doc Rick Bauer came into the kitchen a few minutes later and started scrubbing his hands and arms in a bucket with the brush and cloth that Cassie left behind for him. Ray Santos approached the Doc to ask the question to which Jesse, Jim, Michelle and he were all eager to hear the answer, "Is the Marshall going to make it, do you think he is going to survive this Doc?"
"Wish I could tell you Ray, sure wish I could. One thing is for sure although Miss Abby does not care for me as a person but she sure cares about nursing. It is doubtful that Danny Santos would have much of a chance at all of surviving without her quick thinking and ability to cauterize a wound. That is a mighty strong little lady," he finished his speech while pulling simultaneously on his ears and nose.
Jesse then stepped up and said, "But Doc is the boss gonna make it, do you think he has as much chance as a pig in a poke or a snake in a cavern?"
Everybody stared at Jesse and he reworded his question, "Is he going to make it Doc?"
Doc would not say only shaking his head up and down and from side to side. "Time will tell just like it always does," that was the most he offered.
Ray and Jesse asked what they could do and after quite a few minutes of pulling at his mouth, Doc said, "Well he will need someone to sit up with him round the clock. The next 24 hours should tell if he is a goner or not from the fever and then if he clears another 48 hours without infection setting in and poisoning his system then he'll just need a week, maybe more to recover. The wound was not that bad. However, it was deep and the chances for infection are high since I lost two patients last week using these same instruments. Gangrene is what we have to worry about now. That and all the blood he lost. Remember everybody, we can't go to worrying and fretting too much, Danny would not want it and we also need to remember that he has been wounded many times before, sometimes a lot worse. Ray you remember that knife wound to his groin last May? Jesee you recall, I know, his thigh was shot clear to shreds just two summers ago by those marauders from down Mexico way. He took a bullet to his temple just three autumns ago and lived through it. Nobody ever said being a Marshall was easy but Danny can take it, he always can."
The men all smiled and agreed and shook their heads yes. Michelle not amused by these war stories found no solace in seeking out Cassie and Abigail. They were talking about loss and death and Michelle just found all of these people downright morbid and well, horrid! Her brother just described five or more series of serious injuries, which Danny incurred on the job as Marshall in less, then three years.
Even more disturbing was the fact that Abby and Cassie rejoined the men and they too agreed about the Marshall's bravery. She realized that Danny Santos was doing what he thought his job called for, the taking of lives in the face of injustice and endangerment to the citizens of Dodge City. Killing was wrong, the bible taught that. Why then were all of these people exonerating him for his crimes and holding him up as some sort of hero? He had grown up believing in vengeance for acts of violence and sometimes his efforts to uphold the law involved killing those who tried to kill others.
Jim offered up that his foot hurt awful bad and that it was likely he would be in more pain for a longer time period than the Marshall. Everyone laughed and shook their heads yes, Jim LeMay had always been a royal pain and now there was circumstantial evidence as proof. LeMay was delighted to finally have an injury and it did not seem to matter to him that it was self-inflicted. He was either happy from the pills Doc gave him or just plain happy he was wounded but was going to live to tell about it. Moreover, you got the idea that the story would improve upon each retelling. Jesse told Jim they'd best head back to town and Doc said that Jim should ride in the surrey to rest his foot but Jim said, "Nope, feeling the pain might be good for me. Now, it is up to my honcho pal, Jesse and I to protect the good citizens of Dodge City whether they want protecting or not."
Ray shook his head watching the two deputies and breathed a sigh that he did not need to go to town for a while. Nor did Cassie for that matter, dad gummit! He was going to keep his woman safe. He smiled thinking of Cass as his woman, it was nice thinking this way and Cassie was very willing to see his side of things here lately. All he had to do every time she mentioned farming was to start unbuttoning his pants or walk towards her with a certain look in his eyes and she turned to apple butter right in his hands.
Michelle was still wondering about the Marshall, was he like a cat that had only nine lives and had used up most of them already. Did no one care if Danny lived or were these folks merely trying to protect themselves from his possible death? She ran outside to the well and began furiously pumping water. She quickly filled bucket after bucket. In a bit, she was calmer and she walked back inside to hear everyone except for Jim and Jesse discussing Danny's health (The aforementioned obviously left to return to turn Dodge City as quick as they could to set the little city on its ear no doubt).
Rick and Ray were discussing nursing arrangements and Ray offered up that Cassie could spell someone on occasion as he could too. However, what with Mrs. Cassie's "condition" as he put his hands around her waist and on her belly, well she should not be around infection. Doc offered up that he and Abby could come out and check on the patient every day. Because of unpleasant war memories, he thought it best for Miss Abigail to stay removed from the Marshall. This left Michelle to nurse Danny, which was just fine with her anyway. School was on hold for another week plus a few days so she could just stay here at the ranch if Cassie could provide her with some clothing. Cassie went into the room she was evidently sharing with Ray and brought out an extra dress, some under things and two shirts and a pair of jeans.
Doc provided his sister with a written list of the proper things to do and some medication. He promised that barring any emergencies he would be back in a day or so. On the way to his surrey, he pulled at his ears and mumbled something about brave men like Danny, those men in blue, and Miss Abby threw a fit. Cassie made the observation that you could hear the two of them arguing all the way down the drive from Ray's ranch.
Michelle went into the sick room to survey what needed doing, Danny was still unconscious and she went to feel his forehead and watch over him. It was so calm and peaceful in this room. She cleaned the room and gathered up her supplies. One of the last things Rick told her to do was to change him and to give him a sponge bath. Did Rick have any idea what this would require?
She went out to the kitchen to secure hot water and noticed that Cassie and Ray were gone. There was a penciled note that they had gone to her farm and would return in a while. She walked outside to see that the sun was setting and saw feathers out of the corner of her eyes. Michelle looked again and saw two Indians sitting on horseback. They motioned her over to them and for some reason she trusted them and took what they handed down to her.
"We are Comanche's, we hear that the white law man is sick, we brought our medicine to heal him. He will get well if you follow our directions."
Michelle invited them in, once again doubting a bit but finally realizing that these men were the Marshall's friends. She took copious notes from their instructions and saw them off. Their instructions were more complicated than her brother's but seemed more hopeful somehow.
They said to bathe him and follow it up immediately with the prescribed herbal remedies. The water hot now, she went in with scissors to cut away his clothing. Abigail had cut away a good portion of his jeans and his shirt. Michelle could not figure out why Abigail would cut away his pants. Oh well. She saw that Danny wasn't wearing the long underwear many men took to wearing this time of year so decided to wash and redress him. She had done this at the college for children. How much different could his body be from a young child's?
His body was very different as it turned out. Perhaps too much so, it took Michelle quite a while to bathe his injury, the rest of his body and put new clothing on his frame. She took a long time in order to be precise and sure not because her attention was distracted yes, that was it.
Michelle went about following the Indians' instructions to raise Danny's temperature to control any virus or growth of infection in his body. To facilitate this she applied hot ginger and cayenne pepper compresses to his wounded shoulder. She used clean rags to make the compresses. Following a regimen of using the compresses, she began to alternate hot and cold therapy for improved circulation and blood flow to the area.
As he started to heal, she fed him rations of chamomile broth and then potato peel broth. She decided to pass on giving him a chamomile enema unless his condition worsened. The natives also recommended a mushroom cap remedy but the type of mushroom needed did not grow this time of year. Cassie noted it and said she would pick those mushrooms in season and dry and grind the remedy into powder form just in case she needed it next year. Michelle swallowed hard at that statement.
Michelle applied lemon juice and water to constantly disinfect the wound area for the first few days. She also began to apply a salve made from comfrey and alternated it with wheat germ oil.
After a few days when she saw the dangers of the fever were past, (it did come but passed quickly) she applied a salve of bee pollen that was in a jelly form (called royal jelly, today). She then started using a salve of goldenseal, myrrh, comfrey and aloe. This formed a calendula like salve and she used it only after Danny's wound started to heal as if it is used before the wound begins to heal from the inside, it can cause the skin to heal up on the outside without allowing sufficient oxygen for tissue repair.
On the last two days of his stay at Ray's ranch, he was eating broths, stews, breads and green vegetables. He also continued to drink a tea of honey and chamomile, which has antibiotic, microbial and antiseptic properties.
Finally, on the fourth day or was it night, Daniel awoke and saw a sight that made him want to live. Michelle had stripped down to her waist and was washing herself quickly. He guessed that she was making due without leaving him unattended. Her hair hung in dripping ringlets and her body was glistening from the water. Danny smiled, turned, and fell asleep again. He dreamt of her as always.
After four days of uncertainty, the Marshall improved and kept on improving after that. Michelle continued to sit by his bedside. She read to him, talked with him, and fed him. His meals were improving in substance each day and the Marshall liked Mrs. Cassie's home cooking. Cassie instructed Michelle every day in cooking as well and sometimes the Marshall just assumed that he was eating Cassie's prepared meals. Michelle also continued to give the Marshall his sponge baths, which he grew increasingly embarrassed by as he said they made him feel like a child getting his hands and face washed. Michelle wondered if he would ever realize what else, she had been tempted to wash for him, or was it for herself.
On the sixth day, the Marshall asked for shaving equipment but dropped the razor when he tried to shave himself. Michelle offered to shave him and although she had not done so before, she completed the task with minimal damage. Truth told Danny bore cuts in quite a few places but as he watched her shave him and wipe the lather on her jean clad thigh, he felt inebriated and happy. One thing was odd, though as his health improved, he noted that Michelle grew more skittish like a young colt that did not trust another horse in the paddock. He tried to put her at ease but every time they touched or brushed hands even, it was like sparks of lightning or fireworks went off in the room. Michelle broached the subject of his violent lifestyle and his past several times but nothing was ever resolved. The Marshall could not promise her things that were impossible, he knew this much was true even though she had told him that she would be his if he lied. This just was not in his code for living life.
Danny kept getting better each day and if he had been nursing himself or been at one of the saloons getting nursing care he would already be back in the saddle. However, this attention from Miss Bauer was too good to be true so he let his recovery linger for a while. The Marshall wanted just a bit more time to know her better and to burrow under her skin a bit more. He was not ready to give up the feeling of having her so close to him just yet. He could still feel her hands on his skin hours after they left his body. When she shaved him, helped feed him, or just touched him, he could feel his manhood grow. Michelle's effect on him through her simple ministrations fascinated him. The Marshall was taking some well deserved time off and for the first time in years was relaxing and taking life easy.
Danny and Michelle both sighed then and looked at one another as if to say, "If only."
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Meanwhile back in Dodge City, Jesse and Jim go on a rampage arresting everyone they can think of and put them all in Dodge City's two jail cells. Unfortunately, this does not produce the desired affect as this just introduces the criminals and near-do-wells to one another. They even arrest the two new European visitors. The men post bail within the hour but not before getting very excited and downwind of (and your writer does mean downwind of) some gold and mining news provided by Bill Lewis and Billy Lewis (son and father--hey that is how they introduce themselves). The Lewis men notice the men's interest and solicit them for financial backing. Actually that is what the Englishmen call it, the Lewis men are really just looking to buy a bottle of whiskey at Miss Drew Kitty's or over at Selena's. Somehow, Edward and Richard get the idea that there is hidden gold and silver under the streets of Springfield and the foursome, yes picture that, the foursome begin their nightly digs. The digging starts underneath the jail where the Lewis men say they have already established two or three tunnels in as many years.
Since Jesse is a sound sleeper, he never hears the ruckus they make nor does he notice the heavy deposits of dirt outside the jailhouse. That is until the Marshall asks about it. Jesse gets very confused and then says it is his own digging efforts. He always says, "I want me some taters for my stew when I can't get over to one of the saloons, Marshall." Why he said this no one knew. So our fearless foursome are busy at work while the two deputies try to bring law and order to a town that had it before their reign began.
Meanwhile, our poor Marshall continues to heal at Ray Santos' ranch.
Naturopathy, medicating with herbs and homeopathy were common practices during the 1870s. Doctors were unable to do much more than medicate for pain. Some Caucasian doctors did experiment with herbs and other practitioners of the day used herbs and homeopathy to treat illnesses as well. Some of the natural herbs that Native Americans used provided more relief than the pain medications. The information in this chapter about herbs given to Danny is historically accurate. Treatment with said herbs could have aided his recovery although the sight of Miss Bauer may have been the best medicine for our Marshall.
Here is some information about the herbs used in this chapter and the first aid techniques that the Native Americans knew to employ in the late 1800s. Indians knew that signs of infection include a high fever, presence of pus, cough, redness at the site, difficulty moving at the joint and a headache. Indians knew that the way to rid the body of infection was to raise the body temperature to control the virus and reduce the spread of this infection.
A gunshot or arrow wound was for all practical purposes, a puncture wound. A puncture wound is easily defined as a wound that is deeper than it is wide. It is a dangerous wound because it may penetrate deeply within the body. It may also push foreign bodies deep into the tissues, which are often difficult to remove. The wounds are hard to clean and wash thus is more prone to infection. This makes it a perfect environment for gangrene, tetanus etc. The germs from these can thrive and easily multiply as these germs only grow in the absence of oxygen.
Native Americans knew to clean a wound with soap-like substances and water. They then let the wound bleed to carry out dirt, foreign bodies and germs. They would then soak a wound and put compresses over it four to five times a day for what we call ¼ hour or 15 minutes at a time. They then covered the open wounds with a bandage and checked it at least twice a day for signs of infection. Indians knew that a dangerous sign of a wound infection was joint soreness, redness, pus and the inability to move the joint.
Herbs commonly used by Native American Indians in the plains and southwestern United States:
Chaparral - the herb comes from a creosote bush, which is a thorny shrub, which grows up to six feet tall. It has small divided leaves and both the leaves and twigs from the shrub are useful for a variety of things from curbing addition to tobacco to treating serious burns. In recent years, authorities deemed that chaparral is harmful to humans when used in large quantities. Do not use this herb unless you grow it yourself or know the person who grew it.
Echinacea, horsetail extract, chamomile, myrrh, ginger, ginseng all are useful in limiting bacterial growth. Goldenseal, comfrey, calendula and aloe all provide rapid healing of wounds.
Note the difference between a compress and a poultice.
A compress is a cloth soaked in a warm or cool herbal solution and applied directly to the injured area. A poultice is a hot, soft, moist mass of herbs, flour, mustard or other substance spread onto muslin or other loosely woven cloth material and applied for up to twenty-four hours on a sore of inflamed area of the body to relieve pain and/or inflammation. Ground or granulated herbs are best. The cloth should be changed when it cools.
Michelle could have used a poultice on Danny with similar results but Native Americans thought poultices were unhealthy and preferred the constant changing of the compress. They believed spirits were present in and watching over the wounded and these spirits liked the extra attention of constant compress changing. It is certainly true that compresses are cleaner and less messy than poultices.
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Recipe for Potato Peeling Broth-Good due to high potassium content in the vegetable
3 potatoes, 1 sliced carrot, 1 sliced celery stalk, 2 quarts of steamed water (we call it distilled), one onion (you can use scallions, green onions or garlic cloves-peeled and chopped).
Cut potatoes in half; cut the peel from the vegetable making sure to keep about ½ inch of potato within the peel. Set aside the center of the potatoes for another use. Place the peelings and other ingredients into a large pot.
Simmer for 30 minutes. Cool the broth and strain the solid ingredients. Serve the patient the broth at room temperature.
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In lieu of the aforementioned broth, you can serve barley water. Take one cup of barley and add to 3 cups of steamed water. Boil for 3 hours adding more water as necessary and then cool broth, discarding barley by straining it.
Adding powdered slippery elm to the water helps soothe the throat and digestive tract. Barley is useful for its healing and fortifying properties and is useful during convalescence from many illnesses.
