The Sun.
London, England, 1857-06-12 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON FRIDAY EVENING, JUNE 12, 1857!

ASCOT

'his Day.)

EXTRAORDINARY SURGICAL
OPERATION.

Paid RATLWATS.

Leasing
Companies

Closing Prices
yesterday.

Business
this day

A surgical operation of such rare delicacy, cool-
ness, and skill as the one we ara about 0 record,
and which has probably not been surpassed in the .
annals of surgery, was performed in this city (San
Francisco) on Saturday last, the lltb inst. The
fact's of the CASO are as follows :—About two months
aryl a half ago a Mr. Beal, of Tuolumne county,
bad the breech-pin of a fowling-piece blown into his
body while endeavouring to discharge the gun,
which was rusty and overloaded. The breech-pin
entered under the left arm, breaking a rib in its
progress, and finally rested in the cavity of the chest
beneath the heart, where it retrained during the
ime mentionei, producing effusion and purulent
secretion, until the cavity of the chest was perfec, ly
nigolge l. He had been treated for the wound,
but with little or DO relief, as the pied of mewl still
remained in his b Aly, although it bad b en vainly
searched for. In an almoSt dying state, his frame
attenuated and weakened, Mr. Beal was brought
to San Francisco for treatment ; but with scarcely
a hope of recovery. But b ing of the most de-
termined charaCter he readily consented to suf-
fer an operation, although informed that it would
probably cause his death before the operation could
be completed. Accordingly his surgical attendant
commenced by making an incision through the
tleshy parts under the left arm, down the ribs, mid-
way between the spine and the breast bone, for the
distance of four inches and a half. A tranverse_
incision was then mad-, three inches 1-ng, com-
mencing near the centre of the former, and directly
towards the breast bone. Portions of the entire
sixth and seventh true ribs were removed with the
saw and subsequently part of the first false rib,
when it was expected the metallic substance in the
cavity of the chest would be readily discovered.
This hope, however, proved delusive, as the probe
was tried in vain to its full length, about five!,
inches. The external wound was then enlarged so
as to admit the fingers, in the hope of ascer-
taining by the sense of touch some sinus or opening.
leading to the metallic body, thrJugh which au in-
4rnment could be passed to.aseertain its location.
The most patient and careful exploration failed to
reveal anything, although the fingers were repeat-
edly passed about the heart in every direction. As
a dernier ressort, a steel sound, nearly 14 in. long,
was introduced to the depth of about 11 in., and
the cavity of the chest cautiously but thoroughly
explored, until the locality of the metal was ascer-
tained beneath the heart. It was moat difficult to
determine whether the metal was really found, as the
action of the heart constantly imparted motion to the
;nstrument, which necessarily embarrassed the deli-
cate exercise of the' sense of touch, and the metal
was so enveloped in the deposit of matter, or so
covered up by the membranes, that. the sensation
conveyed through the sound was more like that
made when coming in contact with the bones than
a foreign and metallic body, and required the
exercise of a remarkable degree of coolness, pa-
tience, and courage. The breech-pin was finally
seized and extracted, and the patient is now doing
well, far beyond . what could possibly have been
expected under .the circumstances, and is most
likely to recover. This magnificent operation,
which occupied one hour and a quarter in its per-
formance, was the work of Dr. E. S. Cooper, assisted
by .Drs. A. B. Sheldon, Webster, and others. It
is most worthy of remark that Mr. Beal suffered the
whole of this wonderful and dangerous operation
without using chloroform or ether, but firmly sett-
ing his teeth endured the insufferable agony for
the space of one 'hour and a quarter. Sometimes
he would say—" Doctor, 1 can stand this no
longer," when a small quantity of brandy was ad-
minisrered. to keep him up, but otherwise he never
gave a groan that could be heard across the room in
which he lay. - We certainly consider this the most
wonderful surgical operation ever performed in thi,
country, and challenge a parallel elsewhere. We
have taken much pains to give this account at
length for the advancement of the surgical art.—
Californian Farmer of April 17.

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1E SHARES..

ivlteatsltoejarunsftroocinfon3loct,
concluded
doie,dosoltvoaittehßs
oßtmhaaartno
Baron de
chdreeo Swianlcusrteh(dsacb? oiuildt-
al e guAee
twenty millions of francs) intended to be employed
in calling in the copper money.
A letter from Wiesbaden, of the 7th, gives some
details relative to the marriage of Prince Oscar of
Sweden with the Princess Sophia of Nassau. It
says ;—" The ceremony took place with a good
deal of pomp. All the houses were decked with
Swedish, Norwegian, and Nassau flags, and with
wreaths of foliage and flowers."
MARRIAGE IN HIGH LlFE.—Yesterday the marriage
of the Hon. Miss Fiennes, eldest daughter of Lord Saye
and Sele, with Mr. R. F. Webb, eldest son of Mr. R.
Webb, of Donnington.Hall, Ledbury, in Herefordshire,
took place at St. George's Church, Hanover-square.
REPRESENTATION OF LISBURN.—The names of candi•
dates mentioned for this borough are Colonel Hogg who
contested it with Mr. Richardson unsuccessfully at the
late election ; Mr.. J. J. Richardson, Sir J. M. Higgin-
son, and Mr. J. W. Fulton, J.P.
• ELECTION PETITIONS.—The recognisances have been
reported unobjectionable in the case of the petition
against the return for Beverley.
It is computed that the Bank of England must have
purchased between 500,0001. and 600,0001. in gold be-
tween the date to which the last return extended and
Wednesday, and that its total metallic stock conse-
quently now exceeds ten millions and a half sterling.
FATAL ACCIDENT TO THE MAIICHIONESS OF WEST-
MEATH'S COlCLlMAN.—Yesterday afternoon Benjamin
Kern; coachman to the Marchioness of Westmeath,
died in the Charing-cross Hospital, from the effects of
injuries received by being thrown from his box a few
nights ago in the Strand. It appears that he ha 4 driven
the marchioness to the Royal Italian Opera at the
Lyceum Theatre, and was returning to take up a wait-
ing position, when the horse grew restive, and started
off down Wellington-street, and threw the roan from
his box, with some violence, into the street. Notwith-
standing every attention he did not survive more than a
couple of days.
THE IMPROVEMENTS AT PIMLICO.—A bill has been
brought in by Sir B. Hall and Mr. Brand, extending
the time for enabling the Commissioners of Works to
complete their projected improvements in Pimlico and
in the neighbourhood of Buckingham Palace, purchases
of property being limited to a period of two years from
the 4to of August, 1857. The schedule of the bill gives
a list of houses and premises situate in Stafford-place
and Stafford-row, and Charlotte-street, in the parishes
of St. Margaret, Westminster, and St. George's, ilano•
ver-Fquare, the reputed property of the Crown.
CORONER'S INQUESTS.—Yesterday afternoon Mr. W.
Baker, the coroner, held an inquest at the Ruse Tavern,
West-street, Green-street, Bethnal green, respecting the
death of Thomas Lock, aged 53 years, who cauatnitted
self-destruction by hai,ging himself. A verdict of tem-
porary insanity was returned. Yesterday an inquest
was taken at the London Hospital, on the body of
Elizabeth Butler, aged 26 years, who was found dead in
a low lodging-house, No.l, Cherubim-court, Glasshouse-
yard, Rosemary-lane, Whitechapel. The man who slept
with the deceased during the night was examined at
length, when the jury agreed to a verdict of found dead
in bed. Yesterday forenoon Mr. William Baker, the
coroner, issued his warrant for an inquest, which will be
held this afternoon, at the Loudon and St. Katherine
Dock Hotel, Upper East Stnithfiel concerning te
death of a gentleman unknown, who was found dead ihn
the River Thames under very suspicious circeoistances.
ROYAL COLLEGE OF SUBGEONS.—Tne following mem-
bers of the collage ham, undergone the neces-ary exa
minations were admitted centiates in midwifery at the
meeting of the Court of Examiners on the 9th inst.—
Messrs. Jonathan Brayton, NVhitehaven ; John O'Reilly,
Ware, Heels ; Herbert James, Merthyr Tydfil ;
Mason WDougal, Guy's 'Hospital ; Adam Taylor, Nor-
wich ; Lauriston Winterbotliam, Cheltenham ; Robert
Winstanley, Wigan, Lancashire ; Isaac Dunlin Ward,
Clifton, near York ; Sam. Prall, Rochester ; J. Edwards
Jones, Dolgelly, Merionethshire ; Wm. Goodall Jones,
Birmingham ; John Little Thomas, Carmarthen ; Joseph
John Pope, Hampstead-road ; Richard Griffiths, Dol.
Merionethshire ; and Thomas Masters Kendall,
King's Lynn. The following members of the college
having previously been balloted for were admitted Fel-
lows at a meeting of the council on the
rancis 10th inst. :
s
Me-ors. Isaac John Gillam, Bath ; F Hasting
Baxter, 6th Enniskillen Dragoons ; John Spence, Otley,
Yorkshire ; James George Nash, Isle of Man ; Arthur
O'Brien Jones, Epsom ; William Shillito, llon. East
India Company's Service, Bengal ; Alfred Evans, Wal-
thamstow ; James Tuvan, Chesham-street ;
Thomas
Cooper Leab, Hyde : and Thomas Masters Kendall,
King's Lynn.
Of the 210,000/. brought by the Arago from New
York yesterday a portion was on French account, and
the whole of the remainder has been purchased for the
same destination. The commercial advioes on this oc-
casion reportaconsiderable recovery in the stock-market,
most of the principal railway securities having experi-
enced a rise of 2 or 3 per cent. Erie was quoted
36g, Reading 801, New York Central 86 to ,
Panama 95 to and Illinois Central 391 to 40
premium-4h° bonds 991. Continued ease in the
discount-market, together with rather more favour-
able accounts from this side, were the causes of the
improvement. The reports of the -progress of the
crops in the interior were likewise more satisfactory than
had been anticipated. From California it is mentioned
that the State Legislature had adjourned after passing
the bill for the recognition of the public debt ; ti:
et the
newspapers continued to take the honest side ; and 0w e
31)
although opinions were much divided, great hopes
e,
entertained that the vote of the people •ti September
I would confirm the measure. Both agricultural
wall
mining operations had been impeded by drought,ths a
The
absence of rain having prevailed for two millon
5 000/. on
last steamer from San Francisco bad taken ,
h will come by the next West
English account, which
India mail.
LAW NIOVEDISNT.—The confer-
THE MAINE LIQUOR
on the Maine Liquor
ence of ministers of religion up
Manchester brout;ht its proceedings
Law movement at
to a close yesterday..
Toe followin g resolution wee
adopted, on tbe raotion of the Rev. .op P. Chown, ul
Bradford :--“That this meeting is of nion that th,
legislative prohibition of the liquor
he .traffic is the
nness e only
effectual means for the suppression of it n
o f this country.'"