Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1883-07-28
ACRITICAL OPERATION.
Doctors Reducing . Fracture In q
Mans Neck.

m1u NeCAs
The New York, Pa, Daily Evening
Despatch, of Thursday, contains the fol-
lowing:
An operation was performed yester-
day afternoon by the physicians on Mr..
Edward Swartz, of Dover township,
who on Monday last had his neck dis
located by limb of a tree falling upon
him during the storm Of that evening.
The physicians who made an exam
ination Of the injuries sustained by Mr..
Swartz, were satisfied that he could not
| live in that condition, and the only hope
for him was to have the dislocatiOn ad-
justed.
The operation was critical one. The
man might die in the operation and die
he, without doubt, would at any rate.
Drs. Weist, of York, and Gross, Of
Dover, informed the unfortunate man
of his condition and he was willing to
have the operation performed,
Drs. j. W. Kerr, Hay, Long, Smyser,
Bacon, Myers and Chas. Eisenhart
were present during the operation.
Upon makinga thorough examination
it was found that the fourth joint of the
neck had been dislOcated and fractured.
Mr.. Swartz calmly had his family
called to bid him good bye, expecting
that the result of the operation might
be fatal one. The parting scene with
the family is said to have been very
affecting one. Mr.. Swartz was perfect
ly conscious and could talk freely. His
reply to the doctors, when informed Of
the critical nature of the operation,
was, ~ am in your hands and in the
the hands of God do the best you can
for me-"
Rev. j. G. Deininger held religious
services in the room, committing the
unfortunate man into the hands of the
All-Wise Father, and asking the bless
ing of God upon the work to be done,
and praying for successful result OF
the operation.
| DR.. Hay took ofhold the patients head
and Doctors Weist and Long at the neck
and shoulders, and the reduction CT the
fracture was successfully performed.
The patient Immediately said he felt
relieved, that he had more feeling in his
body, which had been paralyzed and
felt less pain. 1t is yet impossible to
tell the result of the operation. If the
spinal cord was not injured the patient
may recover, and last night DR.. Weist,
who had been out several times during
the day reported the patient as doing a.
well az could be expected. The case at.
tracts much attention among the medi.
cal fraternity and considerable interest
among the people generally, owing to
the singular and critical nature Of the
injuries.
The patient rested well during the
night, and this morning expressed him.
self as feeling considerably better. He
ate little this morning about So'clock
His pulse was about normal, tempera-
ture about 1902. The physicians have
hopes of his recovery.
The Despatch of yesterday, July 9th
day later, has the following further
particulars of the case
= Drs Weist, Gross, Hay and Long
this morning visited Mr.. Swartz, in Do.
yer township, upon whom the operation
of setting hi> dislocated neck was per
formed, and found the patient improv-
ing. Last evening his temperature was
1902 and this morning 1907. His sensi-
bilities are gradually returning and he
now has feeling further down his body
than before the operation was perform
ed. Previously he had no sense of feel
ing in the lower part of the body and a
needle could be stuck into the flesh
without being felt. The physicians
have now greater hopes Of his recovery
than at any time since the accident
1t is q peculiar case and watched with
much interest by the medical fraternity