The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-09-24
TWO OF A KIND.

A Singular Sarcomatous Coincidence
Young Man Afflicted With and Operated
Upon For a Tumor Identical in Charac-
ter and Location With One Which Caused
the Death of His Affianced.
NEW YORK, September l5.-Francis
Joseph Gunner, aged twenty, the son of
Police Captain John Gunner, of 362 E.
Sixty ninth street, was the subject OF
delicate and interesting surgical opera
lion performed on Wednesday last By
DR.. Post, of 29I Madison avenue, and
W. A. Halves, of 745 Lexington avenue,
for the removal of a sarcoma, a species OF
tumor. The inception and development
of this tumor was exceedingly peculiar,
and either presents the features of re-
markable coincidence or demonstration
of the TACT that tumors are contagious, a
thing that has heretofore been most en-
phatically denied BY the medical profess
sion. Young Mr.. Gunner was a REGULAR
Chapel, on Sixty-sixth, between Second
and third avenues, and held the ofloe
of Assistant Librarian in the Seminary
School connected with the church.
About year ago Miss Bella Sargent,
q charming young woman OF about the
same age as Mr.. Gunner, joined the
church and became teacher in the Sun
day school. Gunner and Miss Sargent
were thrown much together in the sun
day-school work and formed g pleasant
acquaintance that in time ripened into
love, and it was announced last spring
that they were engaged to be married,
but it was not to be. Miss Sargent died
in the Roosevelt Hospital last July and
was buried on Declaration Day. Abou5
three months before her death an appIr-
emily innocent swelling appeared in the
gum on the inside OF the right cheek.
Nothing was thought of it for time,
and it was attributed to cold and
harmless Inflammation. But
il grew larger, slowly at fist,
but with an alarming rapidity as it be-
came developed, and she as well as her
friends became alarmed and sought med
ical advice. Her ailment was pronounced
4 sarcoma of the malignant type, and she
went to the Roosevelt Hospital for
a consultation was held in her case by
the consulting surgeons and the house
staff, and it was agreed that her only
chanc,. of being benefited lay in the re-
moyal OF the tumor. She consenting, an
operation was performed by DR.. Sands
In the presence of DR.. Shrady
and several other physicians. The
tumor was taken out, bat
it had involved the jaw-bone to i consid
cradle extent and a section OF it was also
removed. Miss Sargent rallied from the
shock and hopes were entertained of her
recovery, bus Within q few days sec
ondary hemorrhage set in and resulted
in her death. The grief of Gunner over
his loss was inconsoIable and he brood
ed over the death of Miss Sargent day
and night There was to him a special
horror in the manner of her death. While
vet maryeling at the strangeneSS Of Miss
Sargent's death, about Il month ago
he was startled when slight
swelling appeared in his mouth in
the gum under the left cheek.
He at once consulted DR.. HAYES,
as he suspected that the fate OF Miss
Sargent awaited him. There was moth
ing, however, in the early appearance OF
the swelling to indicate THAT it was any,
thing serious, and it was pronounced
gumboil 1t grew slowly, and present.
ing what appeared to be an accumulation
of pus, it was ianced and discharged Il
colorless liquid. There was no improve
ment or relief following this simple
remedy and the clinical history of the
case soon established that it was q
sarcoma similar i'll character to that
which had cost Miss Sargent her life,
but not as far advanced. DIR. Post was
called in consultation and a speedy
eXtirpation of the tumor was adj
yised. At two O'Clock p. m. on WedneS-
dav, the young man was put under the
influence of ether. A knife was inserted
BY the surgeon at the left cheek bone
and an incison was made under the left
eve to the nose, down the side of the
nose, and beneath it to the center OF the
upper lip, which was split il two. Then
the left cheek was dissected up from the
bone and turned back and the tumor was
exposed to view. 1t was attached to the
iawbone firmly, and WAS larger than il
appeared to be externally. 1t was re-
moved by 4 quick cut of the knife, and
the entire bone in the neighborhoOd OF
the tumor was thoroughly Scraped by
spoon shaped instrument to remove such
affected membranes as might be attached.
a. After the surgeons were satisfied that
every trace of the tumor was Obiiterated,
the cheek flap was returned to position,
aud deliberately stitched to the adjoin-
ing tissue The operation lasted two
hours, and was prolonged for the real
son that either could not be given con-
tinuously, as the cone holding it, when
held over the nose and !mouth of the pa
tient, interfered with the movements OF
the surgeon, and he had to stop entirely
while the ether was being admins cred.
Gunner rallied rapidly from the shock
of the operation, and was in comfort
able condition yesterday. The tumor,
after it was secured, was placed in alco-
moi and was submitted to a microscope
cal examination to determine its charac-
ter, whether benign or malignant. II it
proves to be benign it is said the opera
ton will be the last of it. But ii 1T
shows malignant elements similar to
that in the case of Miss Sargent, the
probabilities are that it will grow again
and begin to grow whers the surgeons
knife lett of.
No Evidence of Foul Play.