National Republican., 1883-06-26
RARE CAUSES OF DEATH.
The Case OF DIR. II. II. NIcsiclS, Ono of
Only Thirty Others In Surgical Hh-
ALBANY journal.

Albany journal.
DR.. Henry 7. Mesick died yesterday afi..
noon at half.past o'clock, at tho late resi-
dence of his father, No. a Philip street, in
the forty second year of his age. He was {.
graduate of Bellevue college, of the city of
New York, and had spent two years in
Vienna, Austria, studying medicine. In 1871
he commenced the practice of medicine in
New York city, and, with his knowledge and
attainments, promised to reach the highest
rank of his profession. The circumstances
attending his death were of SC unusual a char
actsr that u recapitulation of facts will be OF
melancholy interest to his friends both in this
city and Now York. These were learned from
q prominent ply sician Of this city who is IA
millar with them. In October, 1874, DIR.
Mesick, who had previously enjoyed the most
robust health, was seized with pain in his
right arm, for which he was treated. On the
| nineteenth of December following he met
with an accident by which tho hunerus OIL
large bone of the right arm was broken be,
! tween the elbow and shoulder. He called in
DIR. Mott, of New York, who reduced the frac
ture and treated him as ordinarily in such
cases. DIR. Mesick got along comfortably and
naturally, and everything seemed TO be pro
crossing as we'll as could he expected. During
| 1875 the arm became stiff This stiffness the
| treatment failed to remove. In December Of
| that year he had recourse to DIR. Mott, who
after examination informed him that the ad
hesions prevented his free use of the arm
and that If these were broken up the stiffness
| would bo removed and he would enjoy
better use Of his hand. In breaking the ad
hesions the bone was again fractured and al
| EOi tba
time forward sarcoma, tumor of fleshy con
sistency, was gradually developed. Th,
sarcOma gov larger and larger as time
passed. Or. Mesick consulted Drs. Sands
Murkoe, and others of his profession, incud
ing in the number tho ablest and most nc.
copplished surgeons in the state. The yer
4 dict was that the only remedy lay in ampu
tation at the shoulder. tho surcoma havinJ
extended to that portion of the body. III
nally DR.. Mesick gave up his practice an,
came to reside with his father in this city
when the case was brought to the at
tention Of leading surgeons OF Alban.
about two months ago. All of then
realized that the case was one of tn,
most serious as well as rare character.
amputation could be successfully performe,
the doctors life might be saved for man,
years of usefulness to his profession. If, oil
the other hand, it was not performed, th
patients life was only matter of a few
i months Mt the furthest. The arcoma haC
reached that point when alterations wer
liable to supervene at any moment, and thu
hasten the end. The arm above the shouldo
was swelled to prodigious size, and was ex
ceedingly painful.
Finally, after the death of his father. about
q week ago, DIR. Mesek decided on havin
the operation of amputation performed, th
limb to be taken off at the shoulder joint
On Thursday this operation was performed
in the presence of all the leading surgeons o
the city. DIR. Mesick was fully aware of al
the risk that he had to undergo, and of al
the possibilities of success or failure, and i
was at his request that the operation wa
done. 1t was successfully accomplished tn
shoulder and arm being removed as wei
as a portion of the collar bone. The usua
dressings wore applied after the opera
ton, the patient was fully conscious, tool
nourishment, and there was every indication
that he would speedily recover. Yesterda
morning, after passing a good night, he wa
also progressing favorably and his condition
seemed as hopeful as could be desired. Yes
terday noon the patient showed signs of OK
haustion but afterward took nourishment
Toward o'clock, however, he sank rapid
and at $3.50 died so easily that the notice O
his attendants was not attracted until afte
the great change had occurred.
This is the first operation of the kind eve
performed in this city, and the records shov
that it has only been performed thirty time
altogether in surgical history, and that Onl.
so per cent. of the operations have prove
successful. A full report of the case and tn
operation will be presented at the next meet
ing of the state medical society, and will uu
doubtedly attract widespread interest