The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1880-08-05
Skin Grating.

The wonderful degree. of perfection
to which the science of surgery has at
tanned in the United States within the
past year, and the practical benefits
which daily result from the experiments
made in our hospitals, are attracting the
attention OF scientific circles throughout
the world. One of the latest and most
unique operations which has been sud
denly called into general use is that of
skin grating. Although a number Of
successful cases are on record in which
French surgeons have performed this
operation, there has been little conf
dence felt in the method until recently.
The furore caused by an account of such
an operation, published in the Herald a
few days ago, proves how little is known
about skin grating by the public. But
by far the most astonishing of all exper
imenss has been tried, proved, and is
now included in the regular treatment
of Bellevue Hospital by the House Sur
geon, DIR. j. H. Girdnor, who has
actually succeeded in keeping e patient
alive in dead mans skin. Learning
that DIR. Girdner has made exceptional
advances in this branch of surgery, a
Herald reporter called at Bellvue Hos
pital yesterday, and obtained an inter
view on the subject.
81 have been experimenting year
on the operation Of S kin grating and
have obtained some very fattering
results" lie said; 81 had several pa
tients in my wards who had chronic ul
GERS of the leg which no ordinary treat
ment could cure. l read one day OF the
grating experiment performed by a
French surgeon, and, fearing that one Of
the patients would die decided as last
resource to graft skin on the surface of
the ulcers. The patient on whom l
proposed to perform the operation re-
fused to allow any skin to be cut from
his arms or body for the purpose, claim
ing that the pain was too great. l &C.
termined to Try the skin of a corpse, as
it would have been unjust to have ex-
pected any Of the other patients to make
the sacrifice TO save the man who re.
fused to suffer himself. | cut piece of
skin from a patient who had died in the
wards o few hours before, first taking
care to inquire whether the cauae of the
death was due to a poisonous disease or
not. l then cut the cuticle into small
pieces, which I laid on the granulated
surface of the ulcers, and bandaged the
leg up very firmly. In three days the
graft began to show signs Of life, a.per-
feet union having taken place, and in
week a splendid skin, smooth and elias
tic, had grown over the liberated pant,
making q complete cure, and leaving no
scar behind. Since that time have
treated upwards Of fifty cases with III
variable success. l have grated the
skin Of en- Irishman on q negro, and |
have grated the skin Of negro on an
freshman with ease. In both cases the
skin lost its original color and changed
its hue to suit the wearer. The great
value in skin grating is to prevent ugly
scars When mans face is burned the
elastic portion of the skin is destroyed,
and in healing it contracts, twisting the
countenance out of shape in Il hideous
manner. A new skin given to the
patient heals the affected part in several
days and leaves a mark which is hardly
noticeable. IN. Y. Herald, June 18th.