Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-24

uon. For time he remained we'll. Then
he became listiess. did not take any
interest in study or play, and in about
Two years. alter he WAS injured he had
10 give up school, and came to his home
I'D thls count Try. He complained of con-
stant paih IN his head and of dizziness.
ne mad :alntipg fits, and was subject to
violent cQnyu sions
several physicians treated the bow for
oluersnt complaints, but he did not i'm
prove, and his case was considered puz-
Llblks q Despite everything that was
dOne Tor him, the commissions came ottener
ana win greater violence; the pain in
nls mead was unbearable, ana he was so
u'Zzy That he moved in constant fear OF
ialllng. When admitted to the hospital
n 1 was carefully examined by DIR. T. j..
heshe, the consulting surgeon, who has
mace a special study OF epilepsy, and the
trouble was found to be in the boys skull.
Inc DloW on his head had fractured the
Skull at the junction OF the frontal and
parletal bones. The depression was not
seen by the bungling druggist who first
attended the patient. The result was that,
as Inc brain increased in size, the pres
sure upon 1t became greater, and the
epileptic fits ensued.
IL was not necessary to use any artificial
means to determine the location OF the
INJURY In this case, as the depression
could be easily felt. An operation was
ADVISED as the only treatment that oOu ID
De OF any benefit. AS the boys system
was run down he was put upon course
OF tonic treatment to give him strength
10 stand the shock, and then the operation
was performed.
Ether having been given to the patient,
tne hair was cut from the place where it
hpnn Ia os,
were made in the scalp, which were pro-
lected to point, and the flesh was raised
from the bone with a knife. The depres-
sion was we'll marked. A medium sized
trephine was applied to the depressed
Done at the deepest point and the work of
boring through the skull was begun. Care
Iuliy was the instrument turned halfway
round and back again, under a slight
pressure. until little streaks of blood
appeared in the shaving of bone, which
indicated that the outer table of the skull
had been penetrated. The same motion
was Kept up with greater caution, and a
small probe was inserted from time to
time In the cut in the bone to find It's depth.
GRADUALLY the trephine sank through the
inner table, until the probe struck soft
substance.
This was the brain. No more cutting
was done; and by using fine, blunt
hook, bu ttOn of bone, about an inch in
diameter, was torn away. The palpitat-
ing brain was exposed, and the pressure
upon 1t forced 1t through the surrounding
skull, so that portion protruded. 1t was
Slightly congested. The bone which was
pressing upon the train was cut into
pieces by forceps and taken away. The
hole was enlarged in this way until it
was larger than half-dollar. All the
fragments Of bone were picked up by
forceps from the brain, and the surface
was then thoroughly washed with "a bI-
chloride of mercury solution. The wound
was dressed and the head bandaged,
and the patient was taken to his cot.
The improvement in his condition was
immediate. No bad symptoms followed
the trephining. Since the operation
there have been no commissions, pain or
dizziness. Inside OF week the patient
was walking through the hospital. He
has gained flesh and strength rapidly. Not
an epileptic symptom has appeared, and
from the present indications there has
been a radical cure. The patient will
leave the hospital in few days, with a
hole in his skull, but otherwise sound and
hearty.