Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1868-07-10
From the Scientific American, July
4 Wonderful skull.

Nearly twenty years ago the medical journals
Of the world recorded a most singular case Of
laborer in Cavendish. Vt, who, while engaged
in blasting, had tamping iron blown entirely
through his head, but who actually recovered
within sixty days Such n surprising and un
precelente1 result at the time Of IL announce
lnent was generally disbelieyed, and provoked
great discussion, many eminent surgeons pro
nouucing IT a physical impossihility. but the
subsequent public exhibition Of the individual
himself convinced the most skeptical and verified
the first report Of DR. John NJ Harlow, the
attending surgeon who published the case. At a
very recent meeting Of the Massachusetts Nell
cal Society, this gentleman read paper giving
history Of the case, and presented 10 that Society
the veritable skull which sustained the injury.
The accident occurred on September 18th,
lsiS, and was caused by the tampmg iron
striking fire from the rock, exploding the pow
der, and driving the bar, which was nearly four
feet long by one and onc-quarter inches diameter,
and weighed thirteen pounds, through the head;
entering under the cheek bone passing inside an
inch behind the eve, and ont of the top Of the
head in the centre, two inches back of the line
where the forehead and hair meet The opening
IN the skull was two inches wide by three and
one-half inche, long, and the brain was hanging
in shre'is the hair. In ffty-nine days the
patient was abroad. soon after with his lamp
ing iron-which he carried with him till the day
of his death--he was exhinited in Barnum's old
museum, in this city, and several years after he
left the city for South America His general
health appears TO have been good until 1883.
when it began to fail At that time being in
California he was taken with epileptic fits which
finally caused his death in May, 1861, twelve
years and eight months after the accident. DR..
Harlow kept himself informed as to the history
Of his patient and on his demise obtaining pos
session of both the skull and the iron, made the
disposal Of the same as mentioned above.
The effect upon the man seems to have been the
destruction Of the connection between his intenec-
tnal faculties and the animal propensities He be
came caprcious, ftful, rreyerent. yaclating, i'm
patient oil restraint, child in mind, an adult in
pnysic'u system and passions. During his South
American me he was a coachman, and under
went sreit harusinp. 1t appears the man could
see out OF ms LETT eye, though the iii was not
subject to his viii. In summing up his paper
DR. Harlow presented these views:
lst The recovery Is attributed solely to the
Viz vitae Wis conseryatrix, or if some like If. Wis
meiicatrix natursp.
ID This case has been cited as one Of reco-
very: physically the recovery was nearly or
quite completed for the four years Immediately
succeeding the injury. but ultimately the patient
succumbed to progressive disease of the brain.
Mentally the recovery was only partial; there
was no demeutia; intellectual operations were
perfect in kind. but not in degree or quantity.
Sd. Though the case may seem improbable,
yet the subject was the man for the case, as his
will, physique and capacity for endurance could
scarcely be equalled; the missile was smooth and
pointed, dilating and weighing off rather than
acerating the tissues; the bolt did little injury
until it entered the base Of the brain, and that
opening served as drain for the blood and mat
ter and other substances that might have caused
death by compression the part of the brain ira
yersed was the part that could best stand such a
shock with the least injury