Paracelsus walked among the wounded after the latest battle. One of the nurses called out, “Sir, sir! He can’t breath! What should I do?!”

Paracelsus walked over and saw a young man with a face wound. The soldier was choking on blood that that was running into his throat from a wound. Paracelsus grabbed his wand which was hidden in his front pocket while whispering an incantation to slow the bleeding. Bending low over the young Muggle, Paracelsus pulled a few herbs from his medicine bag, and showed the nurse how to extend the lad’s neck out, so that he could apply a few herbs.

“Hold these here while I grab my scalpel.” He instructed the nurse. She looked frightened, but did as he asked. He pulled a hollow reed and scalpel from his medical bag, and removed the nurse’s hand and the herbs from the young man’s neck. Then he slowly made an incision in his patient’s neck, and gently eased the reed into the opening. Almost immediately the young man stopped struggling and his choking stopped. A light of hope entered the young man’s eyes, hope that he would now survive.

“The reed has opened your airway. Once you have calmed I will take a look and see what I can do to prevent further deformity to your face. You have received a nasty injury there young man, but with any luck we will be able to fix you right up, so that after a short while most will not know of this injury.” Paracelsus smiled at the lad, while he sat back. Once the young man had caught his breath, Paracelsus removed some more herbs from his bag. He then applied the herbs to the young man’s face wrapping bandages around them, whispering healing incantations as he worked, his wand still in his pocket.

“Nurse, these bandages need to remain in place for two days. After that you may remove them. At that time, try to close off the reed in his neck to make sure he can breathe without it. If he has no difficulty breathing through his nose and mouth for an hour, you can remove the reed, but place these herbs over the wound and wrap a bandage there for at least two days.” Then Paracelsus moved on to tend other wounded.

Two days later, the nurse removed the young man’s bandages and found that his face was healed, except for a scar that looked like a star in the corner of his left eye. She then occluded the reed, and after an hour when the young soldier was still breathing easily she removed the reed and applied the herbs, wrapping his neck in bandages. Both the soldier and nurses were amazed at his quick healing. Neither forgot the surgeon who had saved the young man’s life.