The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-11-10
TOOK OUT HIS TONGUE.
A Remarkable Surgical Operation Pei
formed in a Now York HosnItnl.

A Remarkable Surgical Operation Per-
formed in a New York Hospital.
A remarkable surgical operation was per-
formed in the amphitheater of the Roosevelt
Hospital on Saturday afternoon, says New
York special to the Cleveland Leader. The
case was one of cancer of the tongue and
the operation was Tor the complete removal
of that organ. The patient was man 60
years of age. The surgeons were Professor
Charles McBurney of the College of Physi-
clans and Surgeons, and Dr. Frank Hartley
of Roosevelt Hospital. Invitations had been
sent out to prominent members of the pro-
fesSion and over hundred spectators sat on
the benches While the ether was being
given Professor McBurDey stated the his
tory of the case. The patient he said, had
never been Il smoker or addicted to the use
of liquor and could not remember any injury
to the tongue that could have caused the
cancer, which had made its first appearance
only six months ago.
The patient was now brought in. He was
unconscious and ready for the operation.
More ether was given to enable the surgeon
to take the cone away from the patients
mouth for a few minutes without his return
ing to consciousness. The surgeon then
made final examination with his forefinger
and discovered that the disease was more
extensive than he had previously supposed,
and that the removal of the tongue through
the opening of the mouth would not be pos
sible. He determined, therefore, to remove
II by the hooker method" that is, by max
ing an lnclsiOn under the jaw and getting at
the root of the tongue first. he made an in
cision parallel with the lower border of the
lower jaw, from just below the right ear
to the chin, thus forming a curved
line. The surgeon found that the sub
maxilliary gland was affected by the
disease and was much enlarged and hard
Hort u Ia
few cuts OF his surgical scissors. 1t now
became necessary to cut across the great ar
terry that supplied the tongue from the left
side. This is called the sub-maxillary, and
it gives off many important branches to the
chin, larynX and surrounding tissues The
surgeons applied ligatures to this vessel, then
boldly severed it and proceeded with the cut,
which was now quickly made to enter the
cavity OF the mouth. The bleeding points
were then caught with artery forceps, and
lieatures were applied. In all several hum
dred ligatures we're thus applied before the
work of removing the organ could be pro-
ceeded with. The incsiOn was now quickly
enlarged and Professor McBurney, with
sharp hook, caught the diseased organ and
pulled it down through the wound. Then,
with deliberate cuts, he severed 1t from the
byoid bone and larnyx-commonly called its
root. He then cut it away from the 9soph-
agus behind, and dissected it from the floor
of the mouth, thus completing its removal
| The surgeons carefully examined the
wounds. A great deal OF blood was being
| lost, and as the patient was much weakened
by the ether, fears of collapse were not
slight. Ligatures were quickly applied and
! the wound in the neck brought together
with silk sutures. The patient had now be-
come conscious and was groaning with pam.
Suddenly he turned iivid in the face
| quickly, came to his rescue. He was
| evidently bleeding within the closed