American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1857-06-06
MOST EXTRAORDINARY SURGICAL
--t.a1ni -Lt OPERATION. Eu-a...a

|
/. The San francisco Sun saws a sur.
g,cal operation of such rare delicacy
coolness and skill, as the one which we
are about ITO record, and 81 probably
which has not been surpassed in the
annals OF surgery. was. perfsrmed in
that city on Saturday, the ll,h April
lhe facts of tho case are as follows:
a bout two months and ba!f og". Mr..
5eale. OF Iuolumne County, had the
breach'pin Of fowling piece blown
toto his body while endeav0ring to dis
charge tho gun. which was rusty and
overloaded. The breecn pin entered
under the left arm, breaking a rib in
lis progress, and finally resting in the
cavity of the chest beneath the heart.
where il remained during the time
mentioned, producing effusion and pu.
ruieut secretion until even thercavity
OF the chest was perfectly engorged.- -
He had been treated for the wound.
bnI with little or no relief, as the piece
ot metal still remained in his body. al
though 1t had bcen vainly searched for.
! in an almost dying slate, his fra
attenuated and Weakened, Mr.. BeaIe
vas brought to this city Gprtrearmet,t.
but with scar cely hope for recovery.
but beng OF most determined charac-
ter, he readily consented to suffer an
operation, although Informed that it
would probably cause his death before
the operation could be completed % .sE,
.Accor dinghy his surgical attendants
( commepced by making an inci,ion
through the fleshy parts under the left
arm, down the Iibs, midway between
the spine and the breast bone, for the
distance Of four inches aud half A
transverse incision was then made three
'hcoes Tong, commencing near the cen
ire oitbe t''rmer and directed towards
the breast bone. Portions of the entire
sixth and seventh true ribs were reno
we'd with the saw, and subsequently,.
part OF the tirst false rib, when it was
+ expected The metallic substance in the
cavity "flhe chest could be readily dis
covered. This hope, however. proved
aei"S've' as the Probe was tried in vain
/ tn It's full length. about five inches -
he external Wound was then eularg.
ed so as to admit the fingers, in the
nope OF ascertaining by Tho sense of
t"nch, some sinue or opening, leading.
t" the metallic body. through, which
an instrument might he passed TO as
ceIIain lis location. The mos, patient
aud careful exploration failed To reveal
anything, although the fingers we've re.
! Peatediy passed abont tho hear, in ey.
IeIy direction. 49,.
i AS a dernlcr reSort. a steel sound
nearly fourteen inches in length was in.
tr"dnced To. The depth of about eleven
inches, aud The cavity Of the chest eau
tiousIy, bat thoroughly explored, until
the locality et the metal was ascertain.
ed beneath the heart, il was most dif.
hcult To determine whether The far.
e'pn substance was really found as the
acli"h OF The heat constantly impaired
m"tlop 10 the instrument, which neces-
so'll y embarrassed the delicate cxefcise
OF the sense "t touch, and the metal was
so enveloPed in the deposi, of the
matter or sp'covered up by the mem.
! oranes, that the sensation conveyed
through tho sound was more like that
! made when coming in contact with bones
than Of q f,reigu aud metallic BODY and
/ 'equ'red The exercise Of remark able
degree Of GOODNESS, patience aud cour-
agd. ......,.F urrf'a- -. -. &C..
AZ Tho ibrrech-pin was finally seized
and extracted. and The patience is now
dong well, far beyond what possibly
could have been expected under the
circumstances, aud is most likely to
recover.
Ibis magnificent operation, which
occupied one bour and a quarter ip its
performance, was tho work n( Docrors
E. ). Cooper and J. II. RowelI, assjs,
ted by Doctors A. b. Sheldon, Webster
and Others. ..@.
1t is most worthy Of remark, that Mr..
bea sotiered the whole Of this won.
deiiuI, dangerous and trying opera,ion
without the uso Of chloruform or othc,.
bot trfhly setting his teeth, endured the
insuife'able agony for the space Of one
h"u' and n quarter Sometimes he
would say, I'D ctnr, can stand this
: u" ionger,' when a small quantity Of
brandy vas administered to keep him
up; but otherwise be- never gave groau
that could he heard across the room in
which he laid We certainty consider
this the most wonderful surgical opera.
tlon ever performed in this county,
aud challougc parallel elsewhere. -.
we have taken much paios to give
This account al length, for the advances
nent Of the Surgical attaa .. ~ "
--A--------..4 ----..s ss-LL- L-- ...
D"ys VGracc db0IjSbca in MD Y5yk.
Tie Legislature Of New Yofk has a.,
bnIishcd the days dr grace on cop,mer