The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1879-07-17

4 Son oand Daughter Perform Difficult and
Dangerous Operation on their Mother and
Save Her Life. - s4sssG ,gs,i d z,.s,sFs 5as
Cumberland News aDs2 sf,sss s5ozsG = EEa-i-73> 2
We have just come into possession OF
the facts Of d remarkable circumstance
which4occurredin this vicinity some time
6nce. "A middle-aged lady, who resides
near Wellers, Pennsylvania, a few miles
from this. city, whose name is omitted
by request Of friends, was afflicted by that
I,terrlble disease, scrofula, the seat of the
disorder being in her head She suffered
terrible, agony from the pressure Of the
diseased Uranium upon the brain, and her
physician decided that the only means of
relief was the removal of the top of
Iher skull. lie never attempted the oper-
alton, however, fearing she might die
Lom It's effects. The woman continued
to suffer, and her son, who was afflicted
with the same disease, determined to take
the risk and perform the operation. He
was considerable of mechanical genius,
and lie soon constructed fine saw for the
purpose, the material being wire from an
old hoop-skirt After he had finished the
instrument, although he had no surgical
knowledge, he began the operation of
saving through the skull at point about
two inches below the summit Of the
Uranium. .l
After working some time at the opera
ton the young man was taken ill and
died. After his death the lady's daugh-
ter, young lady Of nineteen or twenty,
decided to continue the work, and did so,
succeeding in removing the top of hel
mothers head, relieving the terrible pain,
and probably saving her life She was
occupied several days in the operation,
which was delicate and dangerous one,
ordinarily only to be performed by the
most sl1illful surgeons. If the improvlsed
instrument had been driven too deep and
penetrated the delicate covering of the
brain, death would have resulted, and
that some accident Of the sort did not oc
cur is one of the most astonishing facts
about the matter. She undertook the op-
Grafton as desperate resort, and the ex-
ercise of nerve which sustained her was
wonderful. Once while working she
tainted, and frequently she would throw
down the saw, declaring she could go no
further. Her mother, whose enormous
will power was not less wonderful, al
ways urged her to proceed, saying ''lf l
can stand it, you should do the same, as
it is the only way of saving my life"
No anHsthetic was used, and the afflicted
woman carefully watched and directed
the operation.
As stated, instantaneous relief followed
the removal of the diseased bone, although
the disease was not eradicated. The re-
moved bone was.Ieplaced by a silkencap,
carefully fitted. The operation was per-
formed over six months ago, and the lady
was, at last accounts alive and cheerful,
though, of course, confined to limited
sphere Of action. She took very phllo-
sophical view Of the affair, and seems
grateful that relief was afforded, although
she will remain an invalid for life. The
case is certainlya remarkable one, and if
the facts were met with in work of tic-
ton, the story would probably be regard
ed as clever but far-fetched fabrication
''out of the whole cloth.' But the case
is we'll authenticated, and we have stated
the facts without addition or change as
we obtained them from a reliable source.
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