Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1885-11-27
Remarkable Surgery.
From the PHILADELPHIA Press. 49,.

An aneurism of the popliteal artery
was successfully treated by DR.. D.
Hayes Agnew at the University. Ben
jamin Weinstock, the proprietor Of d
gentlemen's furnishing store at LOT
North Ninth street, had for months
suffered from what he took to be q
tumor under the left knee joint. The
excrescence continually grew until it
became as large as ones fist, and fiery
painful; The pulsations of the vital
fluid could be plainly distinguished by
placing the hand upon the bunch. Find
ing no, relief in the usual remedies, the
patient consulted DR.. d. Hayes Agnew,
and by him was advised that he was
afflicted with an .,aneurism, which, if
not Immediately reduced, would be Ii.
ahle to produce sudden death through
bursting. An aneurisn Of the poplit.
cal artery is dilatation of the large
artery that lies directly under the bend
OF the knee. The dilatation Of the
artery goes on, the tumor-like bunch
growing until it is no longer able tc
withstand the pressure of the blood
pumped from the heart, and a hem.
orrhage results fatally unless a physi.
clan is at hand to apply a tourniquet.
There are several ways of treating
an aneurism situated in one of the ex-
tremities. The old method was by an
incision and trying Of the artery, a
somewhat dangerous operation, jeop-
ardizing the limb. Other surgeons
have applied the mechanical tOurni-
quet, stopping the flow of blood, and
thus allowing the blood in the artery
and tumor to stagnate and form a
clot. But the mechanical tourniquet
was found not to give the best results
Several years ago DR.. Agnew adopted
the manual tourniquet, or pressure
and Weinstock was treated in this
manner. The patient was placed un
der the Influence OF morphia on Wed
nesday morning and at 1890 a. M
the operation was begun. DR.. AgneN
had invited q number of students to
be present and assist him. The link
was strapped to prevent motion, anc
the students were instructed to take
turns at COMPRISING the femora
artery with both thumbs just below
the groin. Thus the supply of blooc
was shut off from the main artery,
and by degrees, a lateral circulation set
up in The smaller branch arteries. Re.
lleved OF the pressure from above the
blood in the sack stagnated, and at the
end offorty-nine and a-half hours, or at
~ O'Clock III. on Friday, had formed a
tibrous clot, entirely closing the pas.
sage and shutting Off circulation by
the regular channel. Thepressure was
then discontinued and the limb band.
aged and secured at an elevation as a
precaution. Duringthe period en-.
braced by thecompressionf fifteen medi.
cal student took turns at the work,
holding the artery from, fifteen min.
utesIto an hour and a quarter each.
Throug hout this time the patient was
kept under the influence of the opiate,
for the operation is extremely painful,
in fact unbearable, the constant pres.
sure on the large artery producing ex:
cruciating agony where the benign in.
t1uences OF morphia are not employ.
ed.
Weinstock is doing we'll and will be
discharged cured in a few days. In
time the bunch, which now feels like a
tibrous mass, will be almost wholly
absorbed and. will disappear. DR..
Agnew was assisted by DR.. j. w.
White and Resident Surgeon w. D.
Hamaker and the hospital physicians
noted the phases OF the case.