Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-08-10
REMOVING THE SPLEEN.
A Difficult Operation UnwittinEy
Performed on Woman.

NEW YORK, Aug. 4.-Margaret Turner,
q mjddle-aged woman Of fine personal ap-
nasrauce despite an emaciated body, was
admitted to Bellevue hospital about four
,uaaks ago. She had been sent to the
hospital upon recommendation OF her
oSTsician. who had been treating her for
Paayeral months in the dark, as he had not
Soan able to determine the nature or her
SiIment with any degree OF certainty. One
nj the principal symptoms which were
1onIfested was the inability OF the
ntomaoh to perform it's functions, even
though the simplest and most easily as
simulated preparations We're given. she
suffered constantly from burning sensa'
fjon in the left side and said it was like
Mace of red hot metal in the inside burn
mo it's way through the flesh. The entire
abdomen was very tender under pressure,
and even the weight of clothing seemed at
times to be unbearable. especially II 1t
touched the flesh above the waist. Inc
woman's mind had also been affected by
the intensity Of her sutfer1ngs, taking on
the form of melancholia.
When taken to Bellevue she was placed
in a private room and a careful watch
ksnt of every symptom. Though there
was evidently a large amount of internal
Inflammation it was not accompanied with
any corresponding increase IN the tenn
perature of the body. There appeared to
he quite swelling in the abdomen, but
what it could be was merely matter OF
evident conjecture. 1t was puzzllng
case at best and battling test OF the
abilities of one of the most expert patho-
logists in this country.
There was only one thing that could be
done. Medicine, electricity, massage,
everything had been tried with the least
favora BILE results. All that was left to
settle the question as to the cause OF her
illness and the possibility Of expecting
cure was to go on tour OF exploration
INFO the abdomen. Under the manifest
activity of the symptoms IN the case IL
was evident that If she was not speedily
relieved death would soon ensue. Who
could tell that an operation would not
kin herr 1t probably would, but where is
the progressive physician who would not
take the slightest chance of saving life
eyeu though 1t resulted in death, and
especially where the nature OF disease
was not known and something might be
discovered OF interest to scienceT
So the patient was put upon course OF
preliminary treatment several days with
the object in view of fitting the system TO
stand the shock incident to an extensive
operation. She fully realized that it might
result in her death, but in keeping with
the almost universal sentiment of the peo-
pie who have suffered great physical pain,
death was preferable TO the condition she
was In. Being considered at last in pretty
fair shape, she was taken to the operating
room two weeks ago Sunday. Great care
was taken In administering the ether, as
the patient had shown a disposition to
shortness of breath. But no trouble save
afew heart irregularities wss found, and
the patient was an@sthetized much
quicker than the average person. When
the dead look of insenslbility had come
into the PATIENTS eyes the abdomen was
barred to the surgeons knife.
ltwas leap into the dark, but the sharp
blade sank through the abdominal we'll
following the median line from just below
the umbilicus, about five inches down.
ward, Just as II the surgeon knew what he
was going after. The wall was quite
thick, considering the attenuated frame
work. Just before the perltOneum was
reached director was put into the Incl
sion and the depth OF the inward cut
shortened, SO as to prevent any undue
larceration of the Internal organs, which
seemed TO press TO an unusual extent in
an upward direction. Pushing the bowels
out of the way careiully-and they re-
CURED delicate manipulation on account
OF the large number OF adhesiyes-dIrect-
ly beneath them was found large discol-
Ored mass of flesh. The incieiOn in the
abdomen was enlarged downward to
admit of a better examination. Then the
Il mass which had been found was thought
II to be one of the kidneys which had got
q tired of its own habitatiOn and gone to
81 live with its neigh bors. 1t was far out OF
81 place, lying low down in the pelvis, and
n following the peculiar curve OF this part
q Of the anatomy. The adhesions were so
ia extensive that it was exceedingly difficult
81 to trace the outlines of the mass, and in
several places the bowels were slightly
abraded in tearing the connecting tissue
apart. When all the adhesions had been
broken, the mass was elevated, and I'M
derneatn 1t the kidneys we're found to be
resting quietly just where they belonged,
& save perhaps they were slightly raised by
the crowding OF the big fellow above
them.
Whatever the thing was, 1t was decided
after consultation to take it out. To this
strange mass was given the credit of
causing the patient all her trouble. 1t was
raised as far as possible out of the alb
9omlnal wall through the inclsion which
lad been made, and a small clamp was
puI around it as close to the base as pos
noie and screwed tightly. This was done
" prevent hemorrhage which, from the
'aseuiarity of the organ, promised to be
excessive. The inclsiOn in the abdomen
nau 10 De further enlarged to put on the
lamp. lie next step was TO remove the
olehulng mass. TWAS as tough as leather
auu the scissors which were used at first
UVut u were abandoned and large knife
was med. THIS slipped more easily
.ulougl the flesh and the whole thing was
severed. 1t bore 8 wonderful close re-
" nal.o to kidney, and 1t was sug-
hos"u mat perhaps the woman
sau oeen blessed with three. Child
sometimes confound the wise. la this
II n'I IL was an humble student. He
~uly muttered in the presence Of mis-
sIIo mat may be they got the woman's
sPeen' The house surgeon dove into the
ISDnnen again. There was no spleen
t oa,n Splenotomy, a difficult and dam
nus Sa sa operation, had been performed in
by u, sI uggle after facts without it being
fhonn and the assembled doctors
Israr aeu tne student for his timely inter-
ehortSe II the woman HAD known all
too ~ II sne would have thanked him
kiao. o'Qer 20 close the blood vessels the
bebnS lhs spleen which mad been cleft
a,Su vas cauterized with white not
toom .aI "a wire, whioh process filled the
tesa VIA wa The pungent odor of burning
Ae a. a ne wound in the abdomen, after
sas jiu"iIlhel cavity had been washed,
tlis io'e9 with wire and catgut sutures.
& fhe It's'oh was about ten inches long.
lando"auLyy'e OIL the abdomen was then
slmSs,u with iodofOrm gauze, over
bn0co was placed a compress. What
"a la.. g A