New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-08-11
STRANGE SURGICAL CASES.
RECENT SURPRISES FOR SAN FRANCISCO
DOCTORS.
A G1Rr. RECEIVERS AFTER BREAKING HER NECK
A CHINESE woMAN's VITALITY 49, BRAIN

rno,, - occ SIGNAL CORRESPONDENT or THE TRIBUNE
san Francisco. July 20-Wlthin the last few years
san Francisco has furnished halfdozen patients who
have n,zzlcd the most expert surgeons by pcrsisently
living when the doctors all agreed thcN should DC
dead and buried and within the last few days 1t has
given perbaps the two most striking cases Of a-ibe
survival Of man with broken neck for I'VE weeks and
the spectacle of young girl lying WITHOUT speech or
motion for slxty-fvc days. Before taking up These
last two cases may be well briefly TO glance at The
previous record of people who recovered nom what
were regarded as fatal wounds or who lived for weeks
with CHASTITY injuries that the DOCKS say ought 10
produce immediate death.
One of the celebrated here is that OF chamber
maid in downtown hotel who fell out OF foursiory
window. In her tumble Of sixty feet she struck on
several telegraph wires but she landed on her head
with such force that she broke her neck The doctors
said she practically dead woman. but as she
did not give up the ghost and besought them to do
something for her they finally determined to the
neck Her head held firmly by two doctors
while others stretched her body until the displaced
vertebrate came together with a snap. She raliel
almost Immediately but for several days insisted that
they had put her head with the face to the back
II took some time 10 convince her OF this error She
seemed as robust after this experience which
in nlneiy-nine out OF hundred produces death
or total paralysis of the cXtremites.
Another singular local case was that OF the Chinese
woman whose skull split by a " Hghbndcrs'
Ratchet. The assassin trying TO levy blackmail
and when She refused he hacked her head well nigh
pieces. She taken To the receiving hospital
more as a matter of form than anything else but the
doctors were amazed TO find that she did not succumb
TO her fearful wounds. Her brains oozed out through
the gashes and were cut away by the ounce but this
loss didn't seem 10 bother her in the least. She lay
In placid content on her cot. and when the wounds
we're healed she arose and walked away and went
about her business just though she had never lost
half her brains and hal her skull split to pieces
Chinese vitality was what The doctors said but
a white after demonstrated equal tcnarjty
of life lie was tamping down blast when the
powder exploded. and the tamping iron was driven
through the interior part OF his brain from chin 10
top OF head 1t Of the worst wounds that local
surgeons ever wrestled WITH They said death was
question Of only few hours, yet this obstinate fellow
recovered fully. and in his walks about town always
carried the tamping iron cane. Another case
equally strange but which ended In the injured mans
DEATH was that OF the man in the planning mill who
had portion Of oiscl, making several hundred rcvo
buttons minute, driven through his nose. 1t flew off
the machine. struck the base of his nose and ranging
upward buried Itself I'm the nasal passages and reached
the brain. The examined by hospital
surgeons, who declared he had lucky escape. sewcd
up his wound and sent him homo. lie lived for
three days suffering intOlerable agony, and It was
only the post-mortem examination which revealed
the fragment Ol chlscli a. long as ono niger
three quarters of an inch wide. which had penetrated
the brain though fred from a gun.
But all other dwlDde before that of James
b. Iill, bOuse-mOver of this city, who lived thirty
five days with broken neck. and was virtually dead
from tho am.ps down. on May
% bale of hay weighing go pounds
fell on HIPS head driving It down between his
shoulders and crushing his neck into his body that
what had been originally four inches in length was
nd LaK Tbc nh
who at once summoned declared that the cervca
verebrae shattered. and that recovery hope
lese. The patient was removed to his home, and
after cOnsulta alton the surgeons made a careful
animation. 1t found that the thiId and fourth
vetebrae fractured, that the splintels of bone
driven into the spinal column. anu that some OF
the spinal fluid was exudlng The body com
petely paralyzed below the second lib and all breath
ing carried by the diaphragm, the man had
control his chest muscles. The physicians
removed the fragments of splntercd bore AMI Hill az
once felt great relief. His neck was unable 10 sup
port his head and hence the doctors forced To de
wise an apparatus to give the needed support. They
put him "A mattress on an ordinary dining room
table, which placed in the middle Of ROOM
Around his head and chin were bound very strong
bandages Of muslin, and 10 these cords were attached
aud carried puleys the wall at his head and
feet. This contnvancc kept his head IN place With
out any strain upon his neck. All the Internal or
gans were in good condition, and though as high an
authority the English surgeon Hilton declares that
fracture above the fourth vertebrae. when the spinal
cord sustans damage. must he fatal. as the phirnic
nerve that the diaphragm is paralyzed, yet Hi
demonstrated that this conclusion was falsc All hs
breathing continued be done by the muscles OF the
diaphragm. by means Of his brain force. which was
unimpaired, the organs Of respiration, circulation and
digestion continued Ia do their WORK, although Tie
nerves Of sensation and motion were all paIayzed
The man wac not conscious that he had any body, yet
IN everything that makes life, except motion ana sen
satOn, he was as vigorous as ever
cheerfulness. He declared he had never lost con
performed. lie took liquid nOurishnent, oysters ana
fl1lii. and his appetite. until a few days before his
%ss very WS sad 10 See this iawart man. wing there
helpless an infant but with brain as strong aud
seeing tho mon who were working for him. and giving
them orders for the day. lie showed all his customary
ditDI.. he grew weary q life and declared he was
living. lie gave terrible description of his
ticns lie said he seemed 10 be a live man in the
weight pulling him down. A week before the end
cam, he began to complain that he could not digest
that the stomach would soon cease its functions, as
had learned there was occasion for work TO sup
interest in his business and at last day the doctor
told him plainly he had only few hours more Of
in good shape hut he ne heos ssm he wa;
glass of water. The doctor told him he would die I'm
a gentle sleep. so he gave up the idea of drink
toward night OH the day he ed he fell asleep Ills
breathing gradually grow slower and his pulse beats
weaker and more irregular. Finally he suddenly
stoned breathing but the heart continued beating for
two minutes afterwarl For the first minute IL beat
eight times, and for the second four times Then
exactly five weeks after the haybae fell on him. I'M
was dead After death there was warmth in his
eXtremities, which showed that his circulation ne.
NAMED good TO the end HIS death, the doctor, said,
was due simply 10 the fact that the heart and lungs
refused longer 10 work for dead body.
In strong contrast 10 Hrs case but scarcely less
remarkable. the singular sleep Of Elizabeth the
fourteen yearO Old daughter Of Editor Alfred Case OF
oakland who Law for sixty five days practically n-
conscious, the only movement of the body noticed
being an occasional ! fling Of eyelld. The girl
afflicted with what Is called the slOw' form 0f
cetebrO pnal meningitis. The disease was OF only
three months standing Al first she turned about in
bed her limbs twtching, but after the first fortnight
these manifestations disappeared and after that She
remained one deal, except for gentle breathing.
nnhf lt1t.,