, 1880-07-30
Skin Grating.

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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 ourshospitals, 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 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, DR.. J.olH. Girdnor, who has
actually succeeded in keeping, a patient,
'alive in dead mans skin. Learning
that DR.. 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. .., :,',.,,. o., .,,.
, II have been experimenting a year.
on the operation Of skin grating and
have obtained some very fattering
results he said 81 had several pa
itients in my wards who had chronic ul-
GERS Of the leg which no ordinary treat
,ment could cure. Il read one day Of the
grating experiment performed ybyta
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 I
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 de-
ltermined 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. l cut a piece Of
skin from patient who had died in the
wards few hours before, first taking
care to inquire whether the cause of the
death was due to 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 a
week splendid skin, smooth and elias
tic, had grown over the liberated part
making complete cure, and leaving no
scar behind. Since that time | have
treated UPWARDS Of fifty cases with in.
variable success. l have grated the
skin OF an Irishman on negro, and IL
have grated thelshin Of negro on an
Irishman with ease, In both cases the
skin lost It's original color and. changed,
its hue to suit the wearer. The great
value in skin grating is to prevent ugly
scars! When a mans face is burned the
elastic portion Of the skin is destroyed,
and in, healing it contracts, twisting the
countenance outof shape in hideous
manner. IA new skin given to the
patient heads the affected part in several
days and leaves mark which is hardly
noticeable IN. Y. Herald, June 18th.
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