Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-06-06
A NEW ARM FOR A MAN.
A SURGICAL OPERATION THAT WILL
PROBABLY PROVE SUCCESSFUL.

u case OF Exceeding Intere-t-PatChtn
Large Surface of Exposed Flesh with
Pieces Cut from Various Parts Of the
Patients Body.
A surgical operation Of exceeding inter
est is being performed at the Hahnemann
hospital 1t is one Of those cases that
can not he finished at a single sitting, but
which must be carried through various
stages in progressive way from the be
ginning to the end. IL was begun about
three weeks ago, and from the present
medical indications there is little doubt
that the result desired will be attained.
The patient is Christopher Doll, a Ger
man 81 years old. He received his in
jury accidentally. He was extremely
fond Of smoking a pipe One evening
about nine months ago he was enjoying
quiet smoke in his room, and while read
ing fell asleep. In some way the pipe,
which he still held in his mouth, was
overturned, and the hot ashes fell from
the bowl upon his shirt sleeves and set it
on fire. II smuldered for time. and
burned several small holes in the sleeve,
and then IL burst into flame and the
sleeper WAS aroused. The fire had reached
his flesh, and he tore at the burning cloth
3
finally the flame WAS eXtinguished. His
right arm from the waist To the shoulder
was terribly burned and it looked as if the
flesh could be scraped from the bone with
out trouble The pain WAS intense, and
from the nature Of the wound it appeared
As if the arm would have To be amputated
close to the shoulder. Private medical
treatment was tried for a time, but rs il
did not accomplish any material benefit
Doll went to hospital. He remained un-
der constant care for two months
LARGE SURFACE OF EXPOSED FLESH
BY this time the forearm had healed,
leaving trightful scar, with the CiC atrI-
Cial tissue drawing in every direction.
Despite the most persevering treatment
the upper portion of the arm from the
elbow TO the shoulder could not be healed
The patient went 10 several hospitals, but
/ could get no relief There was such a
/ large surface of exposed flesh in the wound
that the pus formation was unusually
large, and the antiseptic precautions which
were taken did not prevent the absorption
Of the poisonous matter into the patients
system. Thus a dangerous condition Of
/ blood poisoning was set up He grew pale
and emacated lost his strength and
courage. and when he was admitted to the
Hahnemann hospital, about two months
ago. he WAS IA living skeleton, with hardly
muscular power enough left TO raise his
hand
! As soon as he was admitted measures
/ were taken to stamp out the blood Cnnta
minatiOn, which were eventually success
| full, and the patient began to re
/ cover strength. When he got strong enough
| and his body was sufficiently free from the
! incidental disease, it was determined by
| the attending surgeon to make a new up
per arm from the flesh of the patients
! body, and to heal up the wound by cover
| ing it over with healthy tissue. At first
/ small pieces Of flesh were taken from var
/ iuus parts Of his body and placed in differ
ent spots upon the raw shoulder rs u
matter Of experiment, To determine
whether the flesh could be successfully
grated. The experiment WAS successful.
The little pieces Of flesh and skin united
and made little oases on the diseased
shoulder. These minor operations were
performed several days apart and without
the use of Of any other than a local
anRsthetic. Everything had gone on 81
well that about ten days ago it was determ.
ined to begin the more important part
Of the operation, which consisted in cover
ing up large portion Of the arm at one
time with flesh.
HOW THE ARM WAS PATr n.
The patient was first put under the in
fiuence of an anBsthetic. Then all the
cicatricial tissue upon the upper arm was
sCraped with knife until il bled profusely
and was entirely raw. While the arm was
held away from the body two incisiOns were
made about three inches apart running up
ward from the small ribs for about seven
inches At the lower end Of these incisions
crusscut was made, and then the strip Of
flesh was disSected up from the ribs the
full length Of the incisiOn, making barge
flap. This was left united at the upper
end. Then the patients arm was brought
close to his side and this loose flap was laid
over on the raw flesh on the arm and
carefully pressed and fitted into position
When this had been done there was still "A
large section of the upper back arm re
manning uncovered. Two incisiOns were
again made similar to the first two, run
ming up and down the upper portion of the /
side of the back. The flesh was thick at |.
this point, and permitted a free dissection |
While the upturned flesh was yet palpitat /
ing with the heart influence, it was put |
over the bleeding surface of the arm ald |
fitted into place. Then the two flaps were
securely fastened into position by long
bands of sticking plaster, while larger |
bands were run over the lower portion of .
the arm and around the abdomen and back .
and in,erlaced 50 that all motion OF the /
arm was stopped. After the whole wound /
had been covered with an antiseptic dress
ing. the ether cone was taken Off the pa
tents face, and he soon recovered con
sciousness He suffered little from shock
and the hemOrrhage was comparatively
slight.
The arm was kept securely fastened to
his side for a week, and the wound was
carefully dressed every day. At first it
was not thought that the flesh from the
side would adhere to the flesh on the arm
but after two days il took firm hold and
grew as if il belonged there, and little
shoots of new flesh branched out in every
direction Two days ago the ends uniting
the two flaps to the body were severed, the
loose portions were drawn around the
under side of the arm, the edges trimmed
so rs TO make a perfect fit, and were then
united with sultures. In continuing the
operation it will be necessary TO alter the
shape of the flaps in some places Only a
little sloughing has taken place, and this
has had no injurious effect. The arm now
presents comparatively natural appear.
ance The biceps muscle will be somewhat
restricted until it gets used to the new GOV
ering, and then it will move As freely as
ever The patient is physically strong, and
since the pain subsidized in his arm has i'm
proved perceptibly, and the prospects are
that he will be able to leave the hospital in
about week with a new arm.-New York
Tribune.
He Wore n Pasteboar Nose.