Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-05-31
DISCOVERY IN SURGERY.
10 Examination of Majors Body Fur,
Eishcs Important Information.
San Francisco Bulletin May 18th. !

[san Francisco Bulletin May 26thl
Af;er the execution of LLOYD L. Majors
| on Friday last a post-mortem examination
! OF the body was held by DR.. T. II. Wool
sey. OF Oakland, in the presence of several
other physicians This examination gave
an unusual opportunity TO observe the mi
| tai stage OF repair after fracture of the
bone. Just one week before Majors was
hung, IN his attempt to escape, he received
q fracture al the middle of the right nina,
one Of the bones OF the forearm. This was
& simple comminuted fracture: that is, the
skin was uabroken, but the bone was
broken III several pieces. A compound
fracture communicates with the air bv
! means of the wound. The fracture of Ma
jor's arm was carefully dressed with a
splint. At the poSt-morteIn examination
the fracture was examined and the entire
ulna was removed There was no bony
union nor any union whatever at the
broken surfaces, bat the caliouS material
which unites the broken fragments per
manently after fracture, had Just begun 10
be Secreted. There was inst q little tenaci-
Gus material peTceptibie on the broken sur
faces That the beginning of the secretion
Of callous material at the end OF the first
week Is noticeable, has been accepted as the
rule BY surgeons, bat in practice il has been
found that this Gallons material has not
been sufficiently abundant and condensed
to yield signs OF repair until about the
tenth or twelfth day after injury-that is to
say, the so-called knitting OF the bone does
not occur until about that time. An op-
pOrtunity was offered in this case of study
ing the earliest processes Of repair in tract
IRE, such as has very seldom before been
afforded 10 surgeons. 1t is understood that
the books contain no parallel case When
ever an opportunity has been given 10 OBJ
serve repair Of fracture, II has been III sub
jects.Tho have died from injury or disease,
and not IN one VINO was in other respects
perfectly healthy, and having, rs this one
do, al The forces in active operation To
the surprise Of Dr. Woolsey, it was found
that temporary uniOn Of the broken bone
had already taken place, not by callous ma
ter1al, but by means OF the organization OF
the blood which had been poured out about
the fracture AZ the time Of the injury. This
organized blood embraced the bone at the
point OF fracture and for about two inches
above and below. The fracture showed
that originally il had been obIiq1e. and
that by continuation OF the force Of the
b,ow that caused the fracture the lower
projection Or point OF the upper part of the
bone was broken of. This little fragment
projected little from its place, but il and
the tTo main portions OF. the bone were
he'd together by the grasp Of this organized
bl00d so trmIy as not TO give away in the
least upon the disartiCulation and entire
OF the bone from the arm. This
provisional clasp, as II may be called, was
elastic and when the bone was grasped at
one end and shaken it would yield and give
u the point Of fracture but il was suffi- |
1ently strong to prevent any dropping Of !
he distal fragment At the other end y her !
he bone vas held still
From this examination this much has |
3een learned that was NOT known before |
y, At all events, was not sufficiently known |
Q be recognized and laid down as q princi-
lie, namely, that the early and perfect ad-
and perfect maintenance in posi-
itoa of fractured bones is necessary 10
perfect repair. The prevention of irritation
Il tissues and Of consequent pain and con
ututonal disturbance and the ike have |
zen the special reasons for the early proper |
Il astment OF fractures, bat all that has been |
eemed absolutely necessary 10 secure per |
eel repair of the bone itself has been a per
eci adjustment OF fractured bones prior 10
ne eighth or tenth day after injury and
afterwards in place But this
ase furnishes most significant proof of the
reat value Of the perfect adjustment Of a
'dCtufS before cOaE9idtlon OF the blood
the seat OF the injury has had time to oc-
~
Dr. WGolsey remarked 20 the reporter
no questioned him about this examina-
on, tnat never before in all his practice
al similar opportunity offered to exam
le fracture in the first stages of repair
nd also that he deemed the disclosures Of
-eat scientific value.
4 singular discovery was made in the
laminati0n Of the skull OF Majors Stick
Z in the back part Of the top Of the head
as little piece OF steel about the size OF a ;
It protruded about one
nth OF an inch and penetrated the skull
)out an equal distance. Ii was firmly i'm
,dded IN lis position and could not be re-
owed with forceps. No explanation is
ven Of this singular discovery. The
aedie, or whatever it is, had been in It's po-
ton for months and possibly for years. {