The Waco daily examiner. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 187?-1888, 1884-08-07
THE SCIENCE Of SURGERY.
Choppiux Into n Mans skull t" Reach Hi-
Brain-A Dangerous Operation With the
Surgeons Mall.t and Chisel.

st. Louis Republican
Between one and two o'clock yesterday
afternoon knot Of well-known medical
men assembled in the back parlor of
pathological institute on Chouteau avenue,
near Ninth street. to as siSt in and witness
delicate surgical operation for the relief
of compressed brain. The patient was
a wealthy citizen of East Lynne, Cass
County, Mo-. named Eli Beitler, fiftynine
years Of age, aud endowed with unusually
good vitality for one SO old. Last Fehru-
airy Mr.. Better fell from an ice wagon and
was struck on the left side Of the head by 4
large piece of ice. The blow rendered him
unconscious, and he remained in that con-
dition Tor several days. He then began to
recuperate, and the 5physician who had
been called in diagnosed the case, pro-
nouncing it dangerous fracture of the
skull The patient complained of a heavy
pressure on the left side of the head, PEE
riodical attacks of dzz ness and a lack of
language IN which to express his ideas. II
was found that he could not recognize some
Of his nearest friends, and that he was af.
flcted with double vision. II All 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
DIR. a. G Bernays, of this city. DR. Ber.
nays, assisted by Dr.. Bremen, made a
diagnosis of the case with regard to re.
hral locallation They came to the con.
clusion thai the patients symptoms were
the result of the depression of the skull
upon that portion of the brain governing
language, memory and vision. II had been
demonstrated hv operations on dogs and
monkeys that by iujuring or destruyins
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 ware DR..
Thomas O'Reilv, DIR. Robert O'Reilly, DR..
Charles Borck. Dir. a. f. Book, DR., l..
Bremen, DR.. d. V. Dean. DR.. H. Homisch,
DIR. Geo. j. Bernavs. When the patient
was fairly under the influence of the drug,
the hair was cut close to the head immeii.
ately above the left ear. A T.shaped in
iesh 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 parietal. II had al
ready become callous, and the depressed
portion of the skull, which was about the
size OF Il silver dollar, was sunk fully one
fourth of an inch into the brain.
p.... s.. L..
phne, Dr. Bernavs seized mallet
and chiSel and Clipped off a portion OF the
skull about half an inch wide and two
inches long and Immediately beside the
depres,io The boI.e 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
il to its normal height. The dura mater
was found intact, the fracture not extend.
ing into il. The operation was occa-ion-
ally interrupted by a heavy flow OF ex
travasated blood, hut sponges soon ab.
sorbed il and the work went on. After the
skull had been Clipped away and the dura
mater exposed the surgeon inserted his
elevator" and, using the portion of the
bone which had been chipped for full.
crum, he pressed down on the elevator"
and the depressed portion of the skull was
observed TO rise. Again the instrument,
was pressed down like lever, and the de-
preston as sumed 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
twisted ca gut drain was left in the wound
to drain of any matter that might accumu
late in the depression. The patient was
then placed in bed. and in few minutes
recovered consciousness and thanked the
physician that the terrible pres ssure on his
brain had been removed at last. His
vision was ali right, and during the opera.
alton and atterward his pulse was normal
His chances for final recovery are very
good, and another victory is scored fo'
cerebral localization.