Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-04-08
MAKING A NEW ARM FOR A MAN.
An Operation that Will Probably
Prove Successful.
New York Tribune.


Hahnemann hospital. It is one of
those cases that can not be finished at
single sitting, but which must be
carried through various stages in
progressive way FROM the beginning
to the end. 1t was begun about three
weeks ago, and from the present in
dications there is little doubt that the
result desired will be attained.
The patient is Christopher Doll,
German, 81 years old. He received
his injury accidentally. He was ex-
tremeiy fond of smoking a pipe. One
evening he was enjoying a quiet
smoke in his room, and, while read
ing fell asleep. In some way the pipe,
which ne still held in his mouth, was
overturned, and the hot ashes fell
from the bowl upon his shirt sleeve
and set 1t 0u fire. It smothered for
time and burned several small holes
In theasleeve, and then it burst into
flame and the sleeper was aroused.
The fire had reached his flesh, and he
began to tare at the burning
cloth madly. He rolled over on the
floor, and finally the flame was ex-
tinguished. His right arm from the
wrist 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 up to the shoulder
Private medical treatment was tried
for time, but as it did not accom-
plish any material benefit Doll went
to hospital. He remained under
constant care for two months. BY
this time the forearm had healed,
leaving frightful scar, with the CT
catricial tissue drawing ia every di-
rection. Despite the most persever
ing treatment the upper portion of
der could not be healed. The patient
went to several hospitals,
but could not get no relief. There
was such large surface of exposed
flesh III the wound that the pus for
nation was unusually large, and the
antiseptic precautions which were
taken did not prevent the absorption
of the poisonous matter into the pat
tents system. Thus dangerous con-
dition Of blood poisoning was set up.
He grew pale and emac1ated, lost his
strength and courage. and when ne
was admitted to The Hahnemann hos
pital, about two months ago, he was
living skeleton, with hardly
strength enough left to raise his
hand.
AS soon as he was admitted meas
ures were taken to stamp out the
blood contamination, which were
eventually successful, and the patient
began to recover strength. When he
got strong enough and his body was
sufficiently free from the incidental
disease, it was determined by the at
tending surgeon to make new up.
per arm from the flesh of the patients
body, and to heal up the wound by
covering it over with healthy tissue.
At first small pieces of flesh were tax
en- fron various parts Of his body and
placed in different spots upon the raw
shoulder as matter of experiment,
to determine whether the flesh could
be successfully grated. The expert
ment was successful. The little piec-
es of flesh and skin united and naade
little GASES on the diseased shoulder.
The minor operations were performed
several days apart, and without the
use of any other than s. local anaes-
thetic. Everything had gone on so
we'll that about ten days ago it was
determined to begin the more import
ant part of the operation, which con-
sisted in covering up large portion
of the arm at one tipne with flesh. The
patient was first put under the use Of
an anaesthetic. Then all the cicatri
cial tissue upon the upper arm was
scraped with knife until it bled pro-
fusely and was entirely raw. While
the arm was held away from the body
two missions were made about three
inches apart, running upward from
the small ribs for about seven inches.
At the lower end of these missions
crosscut was made, and then the
strip of flesh was dissected up from
the ribs the full length Of the incision,
making d large 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 arn and
carefully pressed and fitted into po-
siti9n. When this had been done
there was still large section Of the
upper back arm remaining uncovered.
Two missions were again made SINH
lar to the first two, running up and
down the upper portion of the
side of the back. The flesh was thick
at this point, and permitted free dis
section. While the upturned flesh
was yet palpitating with the heart in
fuence, it was put over the bleeding
surface of the arm and fitted into
place. Then the two flaps were Sc
curely fastening into position by long
bands of sticking plaster, while larger
bands were run over the lower por-
ton of the arm and around the abdo-
men and back, and interlaced SO that
all motion of the arm was stopped.
After the whole wound had been Gov
cred with an antiseytic dressing, the
ether cone was taken off the patients
face, and be soon recovered conscious
ness. He suffered little from the shock
and the hemorrhage was comparative
ly slight.
The arm was kept securely fastened