Wichita eagle., 1888-06-06
SURGICAL SENSATION.
How Negroes Useless Bow Legs were
Made SerYiceable.

NEW YORK, June 5.-A few years ago
persons born with defoamed limbs or those
who had become disfigured by the dis
eases OF childhood were obliged to carry
their disagreeable defornities through
life. Surgical science has suggested vali-
Gus opel aJions for their relief. Perhaps
the most remarkable case reported in the
annals of surgery of this kind is that of a
full grown man, a mulatto, recently opera
ted on at the New York hospital by Prof
Robert Fulton Weir. The patient was a
colored boy, aged twenty years, who
was born with crooked or bowed legs. It
was found On his entering the hospital
that when his feet were placed together
his knees We're as far apart as his heels
were from the groin. Thus the legs form
ed hoop, and the feet stood almost
straight out from the sides instead of for
ward. He was utterly unable to walk, or,
indeed, to stand alone, and as yet had
never taken STEP although almost old
enough to vote. His mother beinga laun-
dress had, during her life, takea the best
Of care Of him, but she died last winter and
he was left alone in the world, ami proba-
bly, would have starved had not his case
been described to Dr. Weir by the dispens-
AIRY doctor who treated the mother in her
last illness With considerable difficulty
DIR. Weir persuaded him to enter the hes
pital for treatment. Like negroes gener-
ally, he was as afraid of a hospital as Of
death. After entering the Institution
treatment was adopted at once to prepare
the patient for the ordeal through which
he was to pass, and the result of which
was to be life with perfect linbs-or
death.
Three weeks ago the operation was per
formed. 1t was that operation which is
known scientifically as osteotomy, and con-
sisted in cutting the bones or breaking
them, and, after correcting the deformities,
allowing the fractures to reunite in d
straight, position.
When the anassthetic was given. it was
discovered that the patient had yalvular
incompetencv of the heart. He showed
signs of collapse, and at such times the
ether had to be discontinued. The patient
was conscious part of the time, and by his
struggles reminded the surgeon that the
pain of the operation was very great. 1t
took the three OrdeFlies to hold him part
OF the time. An elastic bandage was APP
piled to render the right limb as blood
less as possible. The deformity was
chiefly caused by the great size and
downward length of the outer condyle Of
llc lcllDtE anu w Oh tnlSU III Uuc DlUtu VI
leg bone just below the knee.
4 short incision was made down to the
bone, just above the knee joint on the
outer side of the leg. The leg was then
placed firmly on sand bag, the blood
sponged away from the cut and steel
chisel, three-quarters of an inch wide, was
applied transversly of the bone, just above
the condyle which form the outer hinge of
the Joint. Then, with a heavy wooden
T1.lllnt tho head Of which naGa Of
soft lead, gentle taps were given the chisel,
but produced no effect, ana greater force
was required before q wedge shaped piece
of bone mad been removed.
Owing to the great hardness of the bone
it was with the utmost difficulty that the
object could be accomplished and during
the operation u strong osteotomle chisel
was broken. When the wedge-Shaped
piece of bone was at last removed mar
row strip of bone remained on the opposite
side of the femur The surgeon broket this
with manual force. AS the great popliteal
artery of the leg lay just outside of the
cut parts and other important vessels were
III near relation with the wounds there
was great danger in the least inaccuracy
on the part of the surgeon. The operation
had been SO forclble, and the bleeding was
SO great that it was at one time feared that
some important vessel Of the chief artery
itself might have been wounded.
AS this was a matter of vital Importance
death always resulting in these cases
from such an injury-the wound was eX-
amlned with the utmost care by the
anxious surgeon, but everything was
found 20 be right and the wound was
packed with wet sponges to press AGAINST
the bleeding vessels and control the
hemorrhage, while the operation was com
pleted on the other parts The femur
thigh bone was then broken at its lowest
third, where there was very pronounced
curative, an instrument known as an
osteoclost (bone breaker) being used. This
enabled the thigh to be Strengthened down
as far us the knee.
The lower part of the tibia Or leg bone
was next treated. An incision was made
down to the shin, and a very hard steel
chisel used to remove a Wedge-Shaped piece
of bone from that part. The foot was now
forclbly brought to its proper position, and
all the badly formed EgamentS that tended
to draw it back from straight We're cut
beneath the skin with a tenotomy knife,
not larger in size than a knitting needle
The leg was now made perfectly straight
and wrapped in wet towels to await the
completion OF the operation on the other
leg. Exactly the same meas
uTes were here adopted. In order
to keep the parts in an immovably straight
position, so that they could not become in
cess bandage of plaster of paris, made
by taking long strips of guaze TWO inches
in width and rubbing them full OF plaster
powder, then wetting them-was put about
the legs to the depth of one and a half
inches to reinforce which wooden splints
were fastened to the sides of both limbs
and from the armpits to the toes, so
that the patient could not move
until the union was complete. This
remarkable dressing was not re
moved for ten days, when the surpris-
ing success of the operation was apparent
When it was removed the external wounds
had healed and union between the bones
was almost perfect. Both legs were per-
fectly straight and as good as nature could
have made them.
No unpleasant symptoms have appeared
in the whole course of his recovery, and he
has left the hospital walking as well as
any other colored beau in the city. His
name is Henry Peterson, and If any che
would like TO make his acquaintance he
may be found at No. 6l5 Greenwich street,
this city.
KANSAS CROPS.
TOPEKA, June 5.-The Kansas Farmer
has reports from eighty-fiye counties of
the state showing the condition of crops
about the first day of June. Wheat was
never better probably at this stage of its