The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1851-10-16
APPALLING SURGICAL OPERATION.

On Tuesday last we were present bv in
yitation Of the attending physicians, Drs
Cassel! and Wagley--at the performance
If the most terrible surgical operation
which it has ever been our lot to witness
The case has excited great interest, ane
we shall therefore describe it in detail.
Tho subject was a lady of some twen,,
odd years OF age, and the wife Of Mr. Chas
Rowe, living nine miles norh-east Of Jack
sonvile; and the operation consisted in the
removal Of a tumor from the region Of the
left breast. II has been about two years
since il first made it appearance as slight
prominence Immediately over the left nip
pie. ia the meantime, i, has been seen b.
various Surgeons at different times, all Of
whom had declined to attempt lis removal,
from belief Of the malignant character oi
the tumor; and some-Dr Mcdowell, Of
St. Louis, among others-said lis removal
would be followed by instant death, from
bGmorrhage, we believe.)
i When we saw the tumor on Tuesday, il
was Of fattened oyoidal form, aud measu-
red over three feet in circumference. Its
surface was uneven, aud from its appear
ancc, indicated Ito us) that il was compos.
ed OF an aggregation Of fatty masses, con
nacted together by cellalar substance. and
covered by membraneous expansion
which has been developed from the integu-
ments. But the skin proper, had almost
/ disappeared; aud this facti,ious covering
rcsemhled the membrane which is found
covering the "kidncy fat" in the lower an
imals--ndced, as was pointed out to some
| i the physicians present, the organised
nodules Of hard fatty substance, were in
several places distinctly visible through
the covering.
For long time the lady has had to lie
upon her bed with the heavy tumor sus-
pended by bandsee from the ceiling a.
boye, as the weight Of it not only gave her
pain, but pressed upon the wind pipe; and
threatened suffocation.
The physicians present--most Of whom
assisted more or less at the operation
were Drs. Cassell & Wagley, from the
country, attendant physicians; Drs. Dun
| lap, Prnsser, Smith and DIETRICH, of Jack
sonyilIe, and one or two others from the
country, whose names we have forgotten
The operation was not adrised by any OF
them; the patient and her husband, know
| ing that certain death awaited her in lit
lie while, had begged, urged and almost
prayed for its performance; and the patient
herself was unwilling to die without having
At least made an effort TO avoid it. With
the opinion, then, that it was barely possi
BILE that she might survive the operation.
The physicians reluctantly undertook IT,.
| Mrs. Rowe bid farewell to her weeping
friends, as if certain Of death; but with a
christian hope, took her place for the opera
ton--he only one in the room who did moi
seem to feel the terror Of the OCCASION
Before placing the ether to her mouth, she
took farewell look at the world, closed her
eyes. and said, 81 shall not see it any
more!'
She came easily under the influence OF
the ether; and during the whole operation,
which lasted near thirty minutes, she was
easily kept ia that condition., in which res
piralion and the natural functions were
continued, but oil sensiblity TO pain was
gone.
Long before the removal of the tumor
was complete, it was manifest that it was
composed wholly Of fat; and that it was
without any large blood-vessels. But two
small arteries were tied; and the entire
amount Of blood lost was comparatively
sm,lI. At length the tumor was removed.
1t was instantly apparent that she could
not survive. Not only had tho pressure Of
this enormous tumor produced the absorp-
ton of all the muscles and the blood vessels
Of the left pectoral region, but sereral Of
the ribs had been so much absorbed that
the heart ,rds distinctly risible! The lungs,
having no longer anything to resist atmos-
pheric pressure, collapsed, and breathing
became so far impossible that she must have
soon perished. even if the terrible lesion,
which extended over the entire surface Of
the left lung had not destroyed her.
| After the operation, she survived about
half an hour, during which time she was
perfectly conscious of her condition--sai
that she was sinking--,hat she would die
asked if The tumor was all removed; and
expressed herself gratified that il was.
The imperfect respiration left the blood
IN -oxygenized, her lips and skin became
purple, and she died without murmur.
The tumor weighed twenty-six pounds !.
Concerning TIL $ case, we have single
remark to make. 1t is, that the operation
has proven, beyond doubt, tina, the woman's
life has been sacrificed to The over. weaving
caution Of those physicians who were urg-
ed to operate on the case months ago, when
there would have been no difficulty; and,
whatever may be said of the operation non,
| it ha., at most, only robte her of few
days ol1misersble existence, whilo il has
gratitied her unceasing prayer, to give her
1t least chance, no matter how little.
Jacksonville Journal.
The DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A FREE Ne
GRO AND A FUGITIVE SLAvE.--A darkey, in
the south part Of this State, stole fine
horse, and soon after new bride and
saddle. Riding into Alton, he sold him
with his equipment to scr, of smart ira.
ding mula,to, for 500, received S92 down
and then 'broke toran abolition settlement,
passing himself off as fugitive, was
| furnished with food, money aud means by
the ''higher law" folks Of the whole route.
4 The unfortunate free mulatto, after the
h,rsc e,1Jto aud bridla mad heen taken