Daily Republican., 1883-07-24
BOw.LEGs AND KNOCK.KNEES
The Operation Of OsteOtOmy Per.
formed On Children at Bellevue
Hospital.

Hospital.
In one of the surgical wards of Belle
vue Hospital reporter of the New
dozen children lying on their backs,
with their feet bolstered up and their
legs incased in splints and plaster of
Paris. The oldest child in the lot was
under years of age, while the young
est was about two years of age.
Every one of these children has had
both legs broken" an attendant said.
When were they injured 2" the re-
porter inquired. Eight of them had
their legs broken to-day in this room,"
was the reply.
A tall young man with fair hair aud
q smiling face, who was introduced as
DIR. Fraser G. Fuller, member of the
Bellevue Hospital surgical staff, said:
" L am responsible for the treatment
of these little ones. They all were either
bow-legged or knock-kneed. Their
limbs were SO much out Of shape that
they were hardly able to walk. If they
had been permitted to grow up with
out surgical attention they would
have become confirmed cripples. They
have been subjected to the operation
known as osteotolny. In the case of
a bow-legged child an incision is made
in the leg, between the knee and ankle.
The skin and underlying tissues are
cut through with knife as far as
the bone.
"Then an ordinary carpenters chisel is
used. The hone is cut about two-thirds
of the way through, the chisel being
held somewhat obliquely. As soon as
the chisel is withdrawn, the leg is
grasped firmly above and below the cut,
permit the Strengthening Of the limb.
Bandages and splints are applied and
set in plaster to keep the bone in the
right position until the fracture is heal
ed. The treatment is similar in the case
of knock-kneed child, except that the
bone is broken above the knee
"How long does it take child to re-
cover from such an operation ?"
"The bone is set within four weeks
after the fracture, but the child is not
permitted to use its limbs much for sew
eral days after the splints are removed
Walking is allowed by slow degrees.
When the children are able to run
about again, however, their legs are as
straight as those of other boys and
girls"
"Are not the children liable to lose
their lives under treatment"
"There is comparatively little dan
ger in performing such All operation on
child under six years of age, but the
risk increases as the child grows older.
l have been operating upon all bow
legged children we could get here for
year. None have died, and those who
have been in the hospital long enough
to recover have gone away with straight
limbs" "Do the children suffer much
under the operation ?" "They are put
under the influence of ether while their
limbs are being Strengthened, and they
suffer much less pain afterward than a
grown person would under like circun-
heels up above the level Of their heads.
That is to prevent too much circulation
of blood in the legs. 1t prevents in
tiammation and lessons the pain.
The children who lay on their backs
with their feet in the air, appeared to
he rather comfortable. One or two were
frettul, but the nurses said their uneasi
ness was caused by forced inaction.
Most of the little ones were the offspring
of poor Italians. 1t was said that their
legs had become crooked because they
had been permitted to walk alone too
early and because their bones were soft
from lack of proper noulishmen'. DR..
Fuller exhibited photographs Of several
chi III ran IN whom lp had pprfprInal |
the operation of osteOtOlny within
year. Some of the pictures were taken
before the operation, and others after
the children had recovered A com
parison of the pictures revealed wonder
full improvement.
In one set of pictures children were
represented with both legs bowed so
badly that their knees We're foot apart
when they stood with their feet close
together. The other pictures showed
the same children with limbs straight
and well shaped. An increase in
height, as well as the removal of the
defurmity, caused pleasing transfer
nation. Among the children on whom
Or. Fuller operated several months ago
are Della andNictoria Bedad, twin daugh
ters of French parents. The improve
ment in their case was so marked that
their mother has visited the hospital
several times to express her gratitude
While under the care of the trained
nurses at the hospital several of the
improved quite rs much in
their manners and morals as in ii cir
physical appearance.