Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-09-19
rHYsrolANs PUZZLED.
A Clayton Woman Living with u
Broken Neck.


Saturdays Philadelphia Press.
Mrs. Henry Massey, who lives nenr
Clayton. Del had her neck broken last
October but Is SELL alive and IA rapidly inn
proving, so hops need not forsase Caleb
Tczter Of Camden, wao broke his neck ~
days ago and IL yet smong the living.
Mrs. Massey IL about As years OF age, OF
medium sIzs and rather muscular build
and IL the wife OF farmer whose farm lies
midway between Smyrna and Clayton. On
the 18th Of last October she was found
| lying az the foot OF the bacz stairs. The
stairs are n winding flight, steep and mar
row, and she had evidently fallen from the
top. She WAS still conscious. although
almost completely paralyzed. There was a
lump on her head, but she was unable TO
| tell exactly where she had struck. She
was picked MP and placed In bed aud DR..
Dwight of Smyrna was sent for. He at
once diagnosed the case as one NJ broken
neck. Contrary, however, to all precon.
celved ideas of such case, tho woman
continued to live. Last March DR.. G.,
Betton Massey OF this city was called In
as consulting physician, and since then he
has been attending the patient at regular
intervals.
THE SIXTH vERrEBRA BROKEN.
| In speaking of the case last night, DR..
Massey said: "As for as could be HacHr.
talned, ths sixth vertebra was broken. DIR.
Dwight SAW that tho neck was broken rs
soon as he was called in. She was partially
paralySsi below the neck. A week after It
happened she was ssen by DR.. Thomas G..
Morton, who gave It as his opinion that she
would die in few days. After the accident
happened she improved somewhat and then
continued In about the same condition until
l saw her In March. Some OF the ordinary
bodily functions were affected, but her
digestion was untmpaired. Her respiration
was good and apparently unaffected. This
| Ia unlike the Camden case, where the re-
splratory muscles OF the chest are para
lyzed. This woman, however, has all the
breathing movements unimpaired. When
i fist saw her she was totally paralyzsd be-
low the neck, both as regards motion aud
sensation. Pins could 80 stuck In her chest
or body without her feeling them. With
the exception OF bed sores hor body stayed
In n heaithy condition, She mas been eating
ordinary food for the greater part of the
lime.
MUSCULAR POWER RETURNING,
"When | first cav her she could not
| raise her head and could give 1t but o
slight movement from side to side. This
woman Is now getting better, and this Is
largely attributed to electrical treatment,
which was begun In March, She first
gnined power to move her head from side
to side and then to lift her head from the
pillow. and now she has complete control
Of the head movement. The shoulder mus.
Giles improved gradually until she could
shrug her shoulders. After q while
she was able to move her elbows
and then her wrists, but so far
she has not been able to move her fingers
The sensation has partially returned to the
upper portion OF her body, and recently
found she could arch her back. She nov
sits up In reclining chair part of the time
The woman has always been healthy
Since her neck was broken she has reeov.
cred from attacks OF pneumonia ami ma
larial fever. Last March there was large
lump OF callous surrounding the fracture
but this has nearly all been absorbed. Thu
injury to the body shows that the plnchlni
which the spinal cord got injured 1t ant
that Is now what Is causing her suffering