The Indianapolis journal., 1886-01-31
THE ELECTRIC LIGHT IN SURGERY.
Successful Test of an Instrument Known as
the Electro Osteotome.

Successful Test of an Instrument Known as
the Electro -Osteotome.
New York Tribune
DR.. Milton J. Roberts, professor Of Orthopedic
Surgery and Mechanical Therapeutics in the Post
Graduate Medical School, has invented an instru-
ment which he called the electro os teotome
Yesterday afternoon he demonstrated the ad-
vantage of his discovery by performing one of
the most difficult operations in economic sur
gerry. The patient was young man about
twenty-five years old, student in the
Burlington. VT, Theological School A
few days before the holidays he
fell on the college campus, but got up readily.
He felt sharp pain for moment, but it wore
away, and at night he had almost recovered.
Two days later, when he was sitting in the
lecture-room, he felt sudden pain in the hip,
which has not left him since that time. The
sufferer was brought to this city and examined
by DR.. Forrest. who failed to find any cause for
the trouble He advised the young man to consult
DR.. Roberts. The patient did so, and two weeks
ago bed was assigned to him in the surgical
ward of the Post Graduate Hospital
Dr. Roberts thought that there was pus in the
joint and that it could be let out and the leg
saved without saving the joint away. The
operation was performed yesterday in a small
! room on the top floor Of the hospital. Dr. Rob-
erts and three assistants were there early and
by the time the surgeons who had been invited
to witness the operation arrived there was moth
ing left for them to do.
| injury in the cavity of the bone!' asked one of
them.
81 have provided for that little emergency"
smilingly replied DIR. Roberts, and he held up
little incandescent electric lamp not larger than
pea. II intend to light up the cavity Of the
bone and let you all look into it." Then Dr.
Roberts described the oddlooking instrument
that hung over the operating table. He called
it an electro-osteotome. It consisted of cylin-
der of hard rubber, about eight inches long and
three inches in diameter. Inside was a powerful
Rumkorff coil. From the bottom of the cylinder
slender steel shaft, three inches long, pro-
truded. 1t was so constructed that as soon as
the cylinder was connected with battery of
fifteen cells it began to revolve. DIR. Roberts
said when at full force it made Il, 900 turns in
minute. A currentbreaker, by means of which
the movements of the shaft could be regulated,
was close to the handle. and required only light
the patient and soon he was unconscious
The assistant washed the limb with
an antiseptic solution and DIR. Roberts
laid thigh bone, that had been dried
and cleaned. over the injured leg. This was
done to guide him in finding big bump, known
as the great tuberosity, which was the land
mark in the operation. With difficulty he found
it under the swollen tissues that hid it. Then
he drove a long, keen scalpel into the muscles
and struck it plumb in the centre. With two
strokes he laid the flesh aside and exposed the
| sistant lowered the plates of the bat
| terry. and Dr. Roberts adjusted a thin gimlet,
| like cheese-tester, in the shaft. He pressed IL
| against the bone, which is extremely dense at
| that point touched the brake and whirring
sound was heard. In less than three seconds IL
| bored into the bone, and the current being bro
ken. 1t was drawn out again. DR.. Roberts