New-York tribune., 1886-05-16
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
TERRIBLE FRACTURE OF THE SKULL.

TERRIBLE FRACTURE OF The ShULL
POSSIBILITY OF RECOVERY IN SPITE OF IFS
SERIOUS NATURE.
Tn strikine contrast with tho white sheets and
inflow upon a cot In the Gouverneur Hospital yes
ferday was the coal-black face of little Emma
Duane, the fveyear-Old colorcd girl. She was
then as she does most OF the time ana fer
hands were claspeu together upon her chest and at
first glance, still was she lying, that the I'M
preston came that she was dead. But bv watching
seeu. his case is exciting considerable attention
among Medical men. number OF whom call daily
at the to wn5sh tbs IT'S floor of No. 1863
Chryst;e-st. Ten days ago size eat in chair neal neal
an open window, when one of her playinates caiiou
quickly to look out she lost her balance and fell
from. the window head first. She struck nis. s, an
lron stoop railing with her forehead; n,s h aareM ;,
her in such position that the back OF her he%U III.
the pavement and she doubled mp IN heap. When
picked up she sasped convulsively and Oihcer
Murphy who held her w Wbe s she Ssathe again
then an ambulance was called and she was taken
to the hospital. Blood was slowly oozng from he, her
was fractured The entire frontal bone was
crushed in and depressed and uron the left side a
piece of the bone had broken through the skin ana
the brain substance dropped out. at intervals.
through the opening. She was in a state OF coma
and when she was placed IN a cot her death was
looked upon as foregone CONCLUSION and was mo
mentar,ly expected. Surgical a.d could not give
her aLy relief for if the skull was trephlned the
entire bone forming the forehead would nave 70
be removed. ana tnlS Wouiu Dc ioo cAtVpS'cN "''
operation hivc the least chance of successful re-
suit. An ordinary compress of bandages was put
upon tie frontal bone, to bring IL lhto shape II
possible and rubber bags OF ice were kept con
stantly applied to the head. Hypoderinc IN
jections of morphine and whlskcy were gwen NJ
intervals 10 stimulate the hearts action which
showed signs of collapse, and TO diminish the enect
of the great shock -, =, II, 80.
Twenty-four hours passed aud the, girl did not
Treatment which had been given at hrst. raging
fever set in and this was looked upon as the pre-
cursor of death Her temperature went up rapldly
and hung around the pout which is usually cohsd-
cred fatal for about two days. Several times she
was thought to be dead. The prolonged struggle
kent on The wound in her head was dressed fegu
larly With antiseItI solutions and the slmulalt
her The pulse which had been beating so rapidly
ns to defy all efforts to count il became slower and
stronger The temperature went down Slowly ana
the fever diminished in proportion. Her SKIN be-
came natural to the touch and the convulsive,
sonOrous breathing which came on at times,
ceased There was n marked Improvement III The
working of all the internal organs and the llquid
food composed Of concentrated TONES, seemed TO
assimilate readily. Hopes were entertained that
the patient might live after all and were greatly
strengthened when she showed signs OF returning
lOusness.
Though the child is still in a critical condition
the chances point to possible recovery. 1he fever
bas gone entirely, and the temperature is normal
most of the time. She is conscious, and does MOI
seem to know that she had been terribly injured.
If she does finally recover. and Dr. Stokes beeves
that she may, II will be remarkable triumph OF
nature under the most adverse circumstances and
will make one of he few cases on record where
patient with u fractured base of the skull has re-
covered.