Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-11-07
WONDERFUL SURGERY.
The Manner in Which Texas Girl is
Kept Alive.


San Antonio contains wonder, the
like Of which can not be found in the
United States. II il nothing more nor
less than child,7 years old, that in.
tead Of masticating and swallowing Its
BOD in the usual manner, is fed through
"A aperture in the stomach made for
hat purpose. The child is gaining
-trength, can walk and play, and bids
Lir to soon be Nv stout and healthy rs
ny other child. On Sunday last | de-
termined to go and see the child for
myself. The facts are AZ follows: About
two years ago Mr.. s. T. Lumley, at
that time living in Pennsylvania, had
the misfortune To have his little
daughter Jessie drink u solution Of
I've, which negro woman had care
lessly left on the table. a large guam.
tity Of the corrosive liquid was swallow
ed. Death is the certain result in such
cases. There have been quite a num-
Der Of cases in San Antonio, where
children drank concentrated I've, and
none have survived except in this in
stance. The I've destroyed the mucous
membrane, and structure of the
nsophagus i formed, which means that
the throat, or at least the channel
through which the food goes into the
stomach, is drawn togetheror contracted
TO such degree that only liquids, and
not much of them, can pass through.
If the child does not do MT once, 1t
fingers for u year or 80, aud then goes
into consumptiYe condition and
perishes oi slow starvation. ii is inn
possible for human being TO live ex.
clusively on liquid nourishmont; but
where concentrated I've has been taken
there ARE times, particularly in cold,
damp weather, where the sufferer cHn
not even swallow milk. All attempts to
opcn the closcd-up ~ lsphagus are futile,
hence the sufferer slowly slaryGs to
death.
Such was tho condition Of tho little
girl, Jessie Lumley, when She was
brought TO san Antonio for treatment.
The child WIS very much cmaeinted.
could not swallow even liquid food for
days MT u time. Az il was the only
possible chance she had for life, her
parents consented that the operation Of
making MI opening IN the stomach
should he attempted. The operation
has been performed in England, but
this is believed To be the first time il
has been attempted in the United
States. Your correspondent can not
give the technical terms, but can make
the modus operand ineligible TO the
general reader. An incision four inches
long was made few inches to the left
Of the pit of the stomach, much
stitching being required. Through
this incison the stomach is reached.
The next pnrt Of the operation requires
the most delicate handling imaginable.
IL consists IN sewing tho stomach to the
walls OF the abdomen. but the greatest
care has 10 no taken not to penetrate
the skin of tho stomach, m the wound
gradually hcals, Crews to the walls oi
the abdomen.
The patient was put under the in
lluence Of chloroiorm, and the opera
ton successfully performed. Unfortn.
ately, the child had M attack of chills
and fever, which had TO he cured,
which gave il u setback. Tne opera
ton described took place three weeks
ago. The stomach had grown on to
the sides of the abdomen, mud eight
days ngo the final operation of making
small incision into tho stomach,
through which tho food was pass, was
performed, and twice day during the
past week n beelsteak, cut up fine, has
been passed with the forceps into the
stomach, and the child is steadily gain
ing strength.
On saturday last visited the child,
and saw il feed. We halted in front OF
II small one-story house, which we on
tered. A little girl, with light hair and
blue eyes, was sitting up in the bed
surrounded with playthings. Her
mother, young woman of about thirty
years Of age, was busy il the room.
Don't you want your supper, Ies-
sieY' said the doctor.
81 want steak. | don't want any
broad. COS ii hurts" said the little Girl,
whose thin features and pale complex
ion showed the result of her long ftst.
The mother brought III rare beef
steak, which the doctor proceeded to
cut into small pieces, orumbling nd
some bread Mt the same time. The
food being prepared, the child lay back
on the bed, and tho opening in the side
was exposed. IL was only mi inch in
length, and presented disappearance OF
II badly.hoaled cut. II was u little in
famed, stood by and saw the doctor
take one piece after another, and care
fully introduce itwth the forceps into
the stomach, until the plate was nearly
empty. The child complained little
ut time, but did nothppear to suffer
any. She finally said, "My stomach is
full and, rs there was no more steak,
the doctor desistod. Finally some
cotton was placed in the opening, u
bandage put ON, and she sat up and was
soon fonding her playthings
The following additional facts may be
Of interest to the medical fraternity and
Others interested: No particle of solid
food has passed through the child's
throat since the accident. A grain Of
rice nearly strangles her. Milk is also
injected into the stomach through the
opening. The only possible danger is
from the wound closing up, hence il is
kept open with cotton. AT first plug
ofexpansive cotton was used. There
ia no ransom Vhv tho child ehnu1i ,nt