The Waco daily examiner. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 187?-1888, 1884-08-28
ThE SCIENCE OE SURGERY.
Chopping Into Mans Skull to Reach His
Braim-A Dangerous Operation With the
Surgeon. Mallet aud Chisel.

~. Louis Republican
Between one and two O'Clock yesterday
afternoon a knot of well.known medical
men assembled In the back parlor OF q
pathological institute ON Chout-au avenue,
near Ninth street, to as sist in and witness
n delicate surgical operation tor the relief
Of a compressed brain. The patient was
n wealthy citizen of East Lynne, Cass
County, Mo, named Eli Beitler, fifty-nine
years OF age, and endowed with unusually
good vitality for one so old. Last Febru-
AIRY Mr.. Better fell from an ice wagon and
was struck ON the left side of the head by IA
large piece of ice. The blow rendered him
unconscious, and he remained in tina. con
dltion Tor several days. He then began tn
recuperate, and the bphysican who had
been called in diagnosed the case, pro.
nouncing it dangerous fracture of the
skull. The patient complained of heavy
pressure ON the left side of the head pc.
riodical attacks of dlz zness and a lack OF
language in which to express his ideas. 1t
was found that he could not recognize some
OF his nearest friends, and that he was af-
hicted with double vision. II AN object
were to be held ten inches from
his eyes he would see two exactly
alike. He was advised to
have an operation performed on his head
FOR the relief Of his brain, and was on the
way TO Philadelphia when he called upon
DR.. A. Z. Bernays, of this city. DR.. Ber.
nays, assisted by DR.. Bremen, made
diagnosis of the case with regard to cere-
bral localization, They came to the CON
clusion ths' the patients symptoms were
lp Of ba tap of h. bull
upon that portion of the brain governing
language, memory and vision. 1t had been
demonstrated by operations on dogs and
monkeys that by injuring or destroying
portions OF the brain certain symptoms
would result, and these symptoms were
but intensified in the case of man.
The patient agreed to have the operation
performed by DR.. Bernays, and at one
o'clock yesterday afternoon he was laid on
AN operating table and chloroform applied
to his nostrils. Those present we're DR..
Thomas O'Reilly, DIR. Robert O'Reilly, DR..
Charles Borck, DR.. A. F. Book. D.. l..
Bremen, DR.. d. V. Dean, Dr.. II. Homisch,
DIR. Geo. j. Bernsys. When the patient
was fairly under the influence of the drug,
the hair was cut close to the head mmedi.
ately above the left ear. A T-shaped in
cision was then made in the scalp, and the
flesh was turned back. exposing the sur
face Of the skull. The fracture was found
to be crescent.shaped, extending from the
squanious portion OF the temporal bone to
the lower part Of the parietsl. 1t had al
ready become callous, and the depressed
portion OF the skull, which was about the
size of "a silver dollar, was sunk fully one.
fourth of an inch into the brain.
r. jectiug the old-fashioned tre-
phinr, DR.. Bernays seized mallet
and chSel and chpped of portion of the
skull about half an inch wide and two
inches long and Immediately beside the
depression. The bone that was cut away
was sound and healthy, and the object was
for the purpose OF Introducing an instru.
ment called the elevator" under the de.
pressed portion Of the skull and elevating
it to itS normal height The dura mater
was found intact. the fracture not extend.
ing into it. The operation was occasion.
ally interrupted by heavy flow of eX.
travasated blood, but sponges soon alb.
sorbed it and the work vent OH. After the
skull had been Clipped away and the dura
mater exposed, the surgeon inserted his
elevator" aud, using the portion OF the
bone which had been Clipped for fu.
crum, he pressed down on the elevator"
and the depressed portion of the skull was
Ut served to rise. Again the instrument
was pressed down like lever, and the de-
preston assumed its normal appearance,
and was on level with other portions OF
the skull. The operation had been sue.
cess. The scalp was then allowed to fall
back in place, and was sewed up. A