Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1886-12-15
STiCKNEY'S NEW ARM.
How IT Was Patiently Built Up by Skin
Grating During Many Months.
ISprInyfeid Mass IetterI

OrNtttng During Many Months.
springfield (Mass.) Letter.l
The night of October II, 1884, was a re-
narkably disastrous one to several loral
;ailroad men. That night the Boston and
Albany train, dus here at 1850, struck a
pile OF rails and ties placed on tho track
uear Undertook, N. Y, and the forward
part of the train became a total wreck. The
engine turned on its ST le an plunged into
the bank, the light express car leuped over
the tender on to it, and the tender was
rolled over and smashed into it by the ex-
press car. The whole formed a cage in
which were penned Eng ineer Isaac l..
Davee, Of this city, and Fireman Henry
y. Stickney, of West springfield. with
broken steam pipes Kissing their scalding
contents over them.
The steam and hot water secured away
the sand at one edge of the cab, and
through this opening Stickney made his
way out. an J, blinded, scalded, but heed
less of his own suffering, hastened for
help for Davee. When they took hold of
Davee's hand to help him out the flesh and
skin came of in the grasp. The poor fell
low was taken out only to die in a few
minutes. Then Stickney fell, exhausted,
wounds. His right hand and arm were
Lu rned down TO the muscles, except
little dianond-shaped piece of skin in the
hexure OF the elbow, ond the finger nails
and skin Of the hand came off when the
yarn jacket was removed. The left hand
and wrist, the face, neck and head, ex-
cept the hair covered y his cap, and his
right side and hack down to the waist
W. Ivrlo
who saw him that night thought the arm
would have to be amputated to save his
life, but it was feared that the second
shock might be fatal, and his case was
looked upon as rather hopeless. The drain
upon the system from healing up SO large
a burned surface was dangerous, and the
cicatrices would naturally make the arm
a deformed and useless member should he
recover.
Stickney rallied and wished to save his
arm If possible. Knowing that his family
physician had had experience in skin
grating, he sent for him. The doctor de.
cided to begin as soon as possible, nnd be-
lieved he could save the arm. Some valu-
atle time was lost while Stickney re-
mained at Undertook, Lut when he was
removed to his home in West Springfield
the grating was carried on regularly,
and replacing the lost cuticle was the
patient and faithful work of six months.
In that time two hundred and forty EIGHT
little wedges haped pieces Of skin were
taken from his thigh. a few each morning
and trans ferred to his arm and hand,
being held il place by plaster until they
took root The grating was b,gun at
the hand and continued up the arm.
The back was similarly treated.
and only one graft out of the whole num-
Der failed to grow. During this time
about three pints of sweet oil were used
daily to keep the skin and flesh in proper
condition. The arm lay during the pro-
cess in a padded box without ends. The
patient, of course, suffered good deal,
and part of the time he was blind from the
scalding. He lost all his hair, and the
sand driven into his face and neck by the
steam had to be slowly dug out. Had he
not protected his face and mouth with this
arm he must have breathed the hot steam
and died, as did Davee.
In ten months new veins and tissues
were formed and a new thin skin had
grown over all the wounds. The arm was
much wasted, Lut as the new skin grew
the patient gained strength. Just a year
and day from the date of the accident
Stickney was able to take up q light task
where he did not have to use bis arm
much. He could write and hold things
firmly with that hand. The arm has since
gained in size and strength, and rotation
of the hand and forearm is nearly perfect,
while the fingers clench naturally. The
skin 10 nearly normal, and only has to be
DIED and kept warm.
Stickney now feels able to resume n
place in the cab, and will do SO within a
week, not, however, as fireman. but as en-
gineer. 1t is the policy of the Boston and
Albany Company to promote its firemen,
and Stickney's recent experience as trav-
cling engine inspector, which he has leen
for several months past, gives him special
fitness for the post.
His case has excited considerable inter-
est, and he has been asked by prominent
surgeons TO appear before their classes as
lecture subject. Stickney Is thirty .seven
years old.