Evening journal., 1889-03-14
AN ODD BIRTH AND BAPTISM.
Bringing a Babe Into the World by the
Cesarean Operation.

DA"s'hS hADe into the world by the
Csesarean Operation.
The students of the Medical Depart-
ment of the University of PENNSYLVANIA
were never so prompt to report at clinic
as at noon yesterday. They were Joined
by several score Of students from the
Jefferson College Distinguished physi
clans preceded the students and secured
seats at the bottom Of the big amphithe.
atre on the top floor of the University
Hospital. This unusual congregation
was brought together to witness a sur
gical operation that was almost UNIQUE
to the Philadelphia experts of the sur
gical knife.
IL was Cesarean operation ON Mary
z. Burke, 30 years old, of 243s Wallace
street. While this operation is as old as
the pyramids, or, at least as old as the
entrance into the world of the Roman
Emperor, from whom the name of the
Operation was obtained, IL was peculiar
from the fact that 1t was necessary ON
account of an abcess and not from anv
malformation. Physicians state that II
is the only case of the kind in their recol-
lection in Philadelphia.
The clinic in the hospital begins every
day at 12 o'clock, but many minutes
before that hour the amphitheatre was
crowded TO its utmost capacity. AS the
clock in the University tower pealed the
noon hour crowd of students who were
watching the initial game of base
ball on the campus made n
rush for the hospital building.
The table on which lay the woman on
whom the operation was to be made was
rolled into the pit of the amphitheatre
and DR.. William Goodell. professor Of
gyncgology, stood ready for the opera.
tion. He was clad In a long operating
coat and was surrounded by his assis
tants, DIR. John II. Riera, Or. w. Con
stantine Goodell, DIR. Joseph Leidy. Jr.
Dr. William l.. Taylor aud DR.. Barton o.
Hirst. All Of the physicians wore white
operating jackets, which left their arms
bare to the elbow.
Miss Locke, who is superintendent Of
the wards of the hospital, sat in a chair
facing the operating table. She was
dressed in black, but wore the conven
tional nurses cap. There were three
other nurses present. The chief assist
ant nurse to the surgeons was Mrs. pfatt
Among the prominent physicians who
occupied seats in the front row were
Dr. John 9. DaCosta, Dr. Meideman of
Reading DIR. Bolton Of Barbadoes: DR.. ]
Nj. Baldy, DR.. Lewis Adler, Jr., and DR.
r. II. Harris.
Alter few Introductory remarks by
DR.. doodell, during which DR.. Riera adj
ministered the an@sthetie, the body OF
the woman was prepared by the assisting
doctors for the operation. After the
preparations were perfected and the
woman had been fully subdued by the
fumes Of ether DR.. Goodell began the
operation during a breathless silence.
A deep incision was made through the
abdominal walls and from 1t the child
was quickly taken. It was strong and
healthy. An elastic rubber binding was
used TO arrest the flow Of blood and then
the wound was sewed up by Two sets of
sutures, one Of which was BY new
method The latter was deep and the
first superficial. Then the wound was
dressed antiseptically. The operation
was said to have been wonderfully sue
cessfuI.
The woman was under the influence Of
chloroform for one hour, and when she
revived she was remarkably bright and
viyacious. She seemed to suffer no pain.
and her first inquiry was for the child
She showed wonderful courage throughout
49, NNtAA'+1 hA0coAg bolI utipFt AFTER
the operation. DR.. Goodell feels con
vlnced that both the mother and child
will recover
Immediately on the recovery Of the
child DR.. Goodell performed the ceremony
OF baptism according to promise exacted
from him by the mother before she was
placed under the influence of the anes
thetic. At his right hand was a basin of
pure water, and. holding the tiny atom
OF humanity ia his left hand he sprink
led the little head with the water while
he soicmnly pronounced these words: II
baptize thee Owen Burke in the name of
the Father and Of the Son, and Of the
Holy Ghost.
This impressive ceremony, which is
exacted by Catholic members
who fear for the life of their new born
child, was performed instantly after the
operation. The work of sewing up the |
wound was long and tedious
Before the operation the mother had |
requested DR.. Goodell to baptise the
child Sarah Agnes in the event of its |
being a girl and Owen" IL it was boy. |
Providence directed that its name should |
Dn tt0Wpp N-D DltfIadaIphfu