WEDNESDAY JULY 27---DAY 3 AT THE DNC

WEDNESDAY JULY 27---DAY 3 OF THE CONVENTION

The adventure on Wednesday started in the afternoon. After exploring some of the city, Christine, Nico and I  decided to go to the Mutter Museum. I tagged along in my Wheel Chair. The trip was a bit different than Tuesday---it was longer and the sidewalks were  slanted to the street making my job harder. This museum is well known for its unusual medical displays.

  


I was first drawn to the Civil War room.  I was heartened to learn, much to my surprise, that most operations performed during the War involved the use of some form of anesthetic such as chloro-form to ease patient pain. Doctors in Philadelphia received many wounded soldiers and performed amputations and other surgeries in local hospitals.  Most arms and legs amputated were burned, but some doctors kept the limbs for medical research; and some of the arms are currently on display in the Museum.  Even though medical practice did not use disinfectants on wounds they did try to keep them clean and dry,  so if you lost an arm  or a leg, you were a lot better off than the guy who was shot in the torso.  I also saw some wounds that were fatal, like the skull with a round 1 inch hole through it.


They also had a body in a case whose fat had been converted to soap preserving her.  The soil where this person was buried contained chemicals that converted her fat to soap and this acted as a preservative.


Most of the Museum consisted of skeletal remains and preserved specimens.  Once you got past the two-headed babies and the huge tumors the rest of the place was quite interesting.  I asked the security guard who took me to the elevator if any of this stuff phased him? His answer---"No, I spent 20 years in the military."


On the way back to our hotel we passed through a park where a lot of young people were enjoying their day. We stopped at a fast food place where I had a milk shake and met "Tony Two-Canes". I had seen Tony earlier on the street and I had watched him using two canes in his struggle to carry items to his seat while in the restaurant.  As we were leaving I spoke to him and he told me homeless people gave him the nickname.  He had also been in a wheel chair but had graduated to using two canes. As I left he said "I will pray for you."  I thanked him. 


On our way back to the hotel, Chris helped me at times by pushing me up some ramps and when I got tired. But I wheeled my Chair most of the way and I was surprised I did not feel more worn out.


In the evening after Bea returned from the Convention, we went to a party. We took a cab---he got lost and we arrived late.  The food was great, but we did not meet any bigwigs.