In Notes of An Army Surgeon the following story is related, the incident having occurred at the British siege of Fort Erie in 1812 during the war between the United States and Britain.
I remember one day, in making my hospital rounds, a patient presented an amputated forearm, and in doing so could scarcely restrain a loud laugh. The smile was constantly on his face.
"What is the matter? This does not strike me as a subject for laughter," I said.
"Excuse me, doctor, but I lost my arm in so funny a way that I still laugh when I look at it," was the reply. "Our first sergeant wanted shaving, and got me to attend to it, as I am a corporal. I had lathered him, took him by the nose, and was just about to apply the razor, when a cannon ball came, and that was the last I saw of his head and my arm! Excuse me, doctor, for laughing so, but I never saw such a thing before."
以下一段記述，見《軍醫筆記》，所述是一八一二年英美交戰期間英軍圍攻伊利城堡事。
我記得，有一天巡視病房，一個病人向我舉起切去前臂的手，並失聲大笑。他一直微笑盈腮。
我說：「怎麼啦？這樣的事，我不覺得有趣。」
他回答：「對不起，醫生，但我失去前臂的方式很滑稽，至今想來，仍然發笑。我們那個軍士長當時要刮鬍子，叫我這個做下士的效勞。我給他塗了肥皂泡沫，執着他的鼻子，正要下剃刀，就飛來一枚砲彈。從此我再也看不到他的頭顱，以及我的手臂。醫生，對不起，我忍不住笑，因為從來沒有見過這樣的事。」