Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-02-06
A wonder Of Medical surgery.

A delicate and successful surgical operation
was recently performed in New York city by
DR.. Clarence @. Rice, a specialist in throat
diseases, the patient being a public school
teacher Of Newark, n. j., who for two years
past had been troubled with throat Difficult
ty which had been variously diagnosed by diff.
ferent physicians and had been treated inef-
feotually. BY an examination with q power
full reflected light and a lsryngoscope a large
tumor was discovered in the rear nasal pas
sage, its base attached to the mucous mem
brane at the top of the nasal passage, just to
the rear Of the two openings leading into the
nose. The tumor had grown forward into
the left nostrl, and covered the opening into
the right, so that no breath could be aiken
through the nose. Formerly the removal OF
such tumor was q very serious matter, in
volving free use of the knife and the cut.
ting OF the upper jaw bone, death being the
usual result on account OF excessive hemorr.
hage. Dr. Rice's operation involved no use
of the knife whatever. The patient was plac-
ed in an operating chair, and his head was
pressed as far backward as ease and comfort
would permit. The mucous membrane OF
the mouth, throat, tongue, nostrils aud rear
nasal passage was painted with a small cam
els hair brush that had been saturated in 9
bOlullOu VI buo
of cocaine. This was kept up for about ten
minutes and the parts we're found to be in @
state of perfect ane ithesia. An elastic probe,
to the end Of which was fastened q piece of
whip. cord, was gently forced through the left
nostril until It appeared in the throat. The
cord was then seized with a pair of forcep'
and drawn through the mouth, one end being
left suspended from the nose. To this end q
piece Of fine platinum wire bent in the form
OF loop was attached and slowly drawn
through the nostril until il was seen glisten
ing in the patients throat. The tumor wRl
then drawn as far into the mouth as possible
and the platinum loop was forced upward
around it, being pulled through the nostril al
the same time, until II reached the poin
where the tumor was suspended. That por
tion of the wire which ran from the tumol
through the nose was insulated with two
small tubes that had been heavily wound will
silk thread, so that the only portion of it tha
was exposed was that which touched the tu
NOR. The two ends OF the wire, which huns
about two inches from the nOstril, we're theT
attached to q peculiarly reconstructed handle
that was coupled to q galvano-cauteTy battery
BY turning q wheel and ratchet attachmen
the platinum loop was drawn tightly AROUND
the neck Of the tumor. Everything being II
readiness, an electric current was sent through
the wire. In an instant the insulated section
became white hot, and smoke from the burn
ing flesh poured out of the mouth. The cur
rent was shut OF in fve seconds, and afte
waiting until the wire cooled little the whee
and ratchet we're worked, and the loop was
drawn through the baked flesh until the pa
tient indicated pain by contracting the fore
head. The process of heating, cooling ant
tightening the loop was repeated aud contin
ued, until fuslly, by pulling gently upon
pair of forceps, which rs a precaution hat
been fastt ned TO the tumor through the mouth
to prevent it from falling into the windpiPe
the neck Of the tumor was severed close t
the point of union. 1t was pear shaped, tive
inches long, and one and half inches in di
ameter Five minutes had elapsed from th'
time the electric current was turned on to th'
end OF the operation. Not a drop of blooC
escaped. The relief of the patient was i'm
mediate. His mouth closed naturally and TO
the 6rst time in many months he was able Il
breathe through the nose. There vas littl'
exhaustion from shock, and in two hours th
patient was on his way home. Three day
afterward be was attending to his duties
well man.