St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-08-04
REsHAPING "KNOCK KNEES"
Heroic Measures Used to Cure a
Child's Deformity.

Child's Deformity.
Cincinnati Enquirer.
There was a notable surgical opera
ton performed upon child in Avon
dale yesterday.
The operation is one of rare occur
renee in this country, although it has
been performed successfully number
of times in Europe.
From birth little Gertrude jackson
has been afflicted with what is known
as ''knock knees" the affiiction being
such as to render walking impossible, or
even standing without the assistance of
some one to prop her up. In fact, the
little girls legs were bent outwardly to
such an extent that they described a
entirely given up the idea that their
bright little daughter would ever be
able to walk without the aid of artifi-
cial means. The little girls case few
days ago came to the notice of DR.. T. E.
Linn, professor of OrthOpedic surgery
in the Pulte Medical college. An eX-
animation of the child's limbs was
made, and it was decided that the only
possible means OF relief was that known
as double oSteOmy operation. The
operation comes under the head of
orthopedic surgery, and was performed
as follows:
An esmark bandage was placed around
the leg and ankle, extending from the
foot to the upper third of the thigh.
This process rendered the leg upon
which the operation was to be per-
formed perfectly bloodless. An in
cision was then made with sharp knife
at point on the inner side of the leg,
half an inch above the adductOr mag
nus. The knife was sunk clean through
to the bone, and chiSel subsequently
slipped along the side of the knife until
the bone was reached, when the knife
was skilfully withdrawn, allowing the
steel chisel to remain in the flesh. After
the knife had been withdrawn the chisel
was given delft twist at exactly right
angles with the bone. The sharp point
of the instrument was then placed upon
the tender bone, and several sharp
blows quickly struck in rapid success
sion with mallet. The bone was COM
pletely severed. A sponge was then
bound over the limb after the ends of
the bone were placed in contact, and
the limb allowed to rest until similar
operation had been performed upon the
other limb.
The bandage around the limb first
operated upon was then removed from
the wound made by the incision of the
knife and the limb we'll busted with
iodoform. Iodoform gauge was then
applied to the leg and flannel bandage
tightly bound about the limb from the
foot to the upper third Of the thigh.
the limb was now ready for the final
part of the operation.
1t was Strengthened into its proper
position and held that way until a heavy
coating of plaster of paris had been
placed over it. The other leg was SIM
ilarly treated, and the remarkable opera
ton successfully, performed; The pa
tent all the while was under the in
fiuence of ether, and after the operation
aWoke entirely unaware Of what had
taken place.
The external wound in an operation
of this kind usually heals in about six
weeks. When the ends of the bones
are perfectly united, the plaster of paris
coating can be removed, and in short
time the child can be able to use her
limbs with as much freedom as any one
of her age. The entire operation lasted
about an hour, and was rendered all
the more difficult on account of the ten
der age of the child. 1t is the first case
of the kind recorded in Cincinnati. and
IN many respects is considered great
triumph for the medical profession of
this city. 1t is considered a heroic OPP
Grafton for the relief of child seeming
ly afflicted and rendered comparatively
helpless for life. The parents of the
child are overjoyed at the hope of see
ing their little one able to walk. Among
the members of the medical profession
who witnessed the operation performed
by DIR. Linn are DIR. G. A. Pauly, DIR. G.
S. MeDermott, DR.. T. M. Stewart and
DR.. Fl. B. Hills.