Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-07-13
SWALLOWING A KNIFE.
NARROW ESCAPE OF A LITTLE
GIRL-THE SURGEONS SKILL
SAVES HER.
New York Cor. Globe-Democrat.

Little Maggie McClue lives with
her parents on Baxter street, in
this city. She is twelve years old,
and the very incarnation OF mis-
chief. y few days ago her father
brought home watermelon. Mag
gle wanted to cut it, and opened
her pen.kniie. Her father told her
to wait nntIl dinner when he would
cut the melon. She declared that
she would SwdllOw the pcn. nife if
she cOnld not cut the rlon. Her
latherSlld he "gueS ed she wuu.dn'P
aud before he had ceased Sp'akin z
she put the knife into her mouth,
handle first, meaning TO frighten
him. Accidentally she swallowed
it. AS it went down her throat
she shrieked with fright, and de-
clared that her gullet had been cut
open. Her father was greatly
frightened, and sent for an ambu.
lance, on the arrival of which she
was taken to the accident ward OF
Chambers Street hospital, where
DR.. George b. Phelps, the attend
ing surgeon, took charge Of the
case. The knife was open, and the
blade and handle measured about
five inches. The blade was sharp.
1t was hoped by DR.. Phelps that it
had lodged in the gullet, but when
she had been put under the effect
of ether it could not be felt by the
long rubber sound that was passed
into the mouth, down the gullet,
and into the esophagus. 1t had
evidently passed into the stomach
Knowing that the jugglers swallow
ed open knives and eat tull meaI
of porrldge afterwards, which ad
heres to the blade, and enables the
knife to pass without injury, she
was allowed to come out OF the
ether that this mode of treatment
might be tried, but when the effects
of the ether had passed OIL it was
found that the esophageal passage
was obstructed to such an extent
that nothing but water could be
made to pass it. The sound was
used again, and the obstruction
was felt just above the entrance oI
the stomach, and all efforts to dis
lodge it were in vain.
Ether was given again, for it was
evident that the obstruction must
be removed, especially as the pa
tient v0mited blood after being ex
amined, and it was feared that the
esophagus had been cut by thC
knife.
An incision was made in the mid
die line of the abdomen and the
stomach opened, so that the sur
geOn could pass bis whole hand in
to the cavity, considerable gas es
Gaping from the wound as he die
80. The cavity was found to con
tain a quantity Of blood. With {
good deal of difficulty the esOphag
cal opening was found, and its cir
cumierential tissues had contract
ed so greatly the he could scarcely
force his little finger into the ESQ
phagus.
On examining the esOphagus car
fully he felt the end of the knife
handle, which had been caught By
tilleaux fold of Inucus membrane
On dislodglng it with pair of for
ceps he found that the blade had
wounded the mueuS membrane in
a number of blaces, which were
still bleeding. To these wounds
he applied styptics and pressure fol-
thirty minutes, when all bleeding
stopped. The cut in the stomach
was then closed with silk sntures,
and the abdominal wound closed
in a like manner, thus completing
the operation.
The patient is doing we'll, but
will not be able to indulge IN wat
ermelon for six weeks at least
The knife will be preserved by the
hospital museum as curiosity,