St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-12-21
THE DOGS BONE is GnAFTED
Johnnie Gethius Now Has a Part
of Yip's Leg In His.
New York World.


New York World.
Little Johnnie Gethius and his faith.
full dog Zip have been cut asunder, and
DR.. Phelps great feat in orthopedic
surgery has proved success. The
sundering took place last Wednesday,
and since then Zip and Johnnie have
occupied separate touches in the Char
ity hospital. The authority for this
statement is a physician who is an inti-
mate friend of DR.. Phelps, and VINO has
full knowledge of the case. He has as
sisted DR.. Phelps repeatedly in his
operations. DR.. Phelps has all along
been extremely concerned lest the exl
pertinent should prove a failure, and has
therefore been unusually reticent.
1.-The operation of separating boy and
dog" SAID this medical man, twas ac-
complished under the most favorable
circumstances last Wednesday. The
greatest care and skill were displayed
and every precaution to insure success
was taken. The operation was in everv,
way successful, and the examinations
made Immediately after showed that a
complete union between the leg of the
boy aud the dog had taken place.
The reason" continued DR.. Phelps
friend, THAT this fact has been kept
from the newspapers is twofold. Dr..
Phelps from the beginning was none
too certain of success, and should the
experiment have proved failure, it
would have been Injurious to him in his
profession. Further, it is against the
ethics of all physicians to tell about
their professional affairs. But it is a
success beyond peradventure, and sci
ence may rejoice at the brilliant feat"
A World reporter called at the resi-
dence of DR.. Phelps, No. 40 West
Thirty-fourth street, last night, but the
girl who opened the door said he was
not in.
us it fact" she was asked, '.that
the Boy Johnnie and his dog Zip have
been separated?'
Indeed, and it is that same" she re-
piled. "They be took apart last Winds
day, and DR.. Phelps he that reiOiceful,
he do! Oh. they are just DOM splindid,
and l am glad. When asked DR.. Phelps
to-day how the poor things were getting
on, and he said that it was foine, In
deed, they WERE"
"YOu are sure the two have been cut
apart ?"
"Sure! Sure! Well, that is what DR..
Phelps has said TO me many times, and
he is proud of it,"
DR.. Plympton, the partner Of DR..
Phelps, has recently changed his adj
dress, and he could not be found last
night. But it was only last evening
that he was in high spirits in speaking
to a friend of the success achieved. He
said the secret was to be out to-day.
Accurate details of the sundering
could not be obtained, but it Is known
that DR.. Phelps was assisted by dis
Greet and skillful surgeon. AnRsthetics
were applied to both Johnnie and Zip
and neither of them felt any pain.
Every precautiOn was taken in the mat
ter of antiseptics to insure against
blood-poisoning. The actions of the
dog after the separation and fracture of
the plaster cast which has held her
so firmly these last weeks have not been
told. 1t is said. however, that the cast
imprisoning her body has been removed
and that now only the unfortunate fore
leg is imprisoned. She is as lively as
could be expected and expresses her
satisfaction in a joyful canine whine
and wag of the tail.
plaster, and will be no doubt for some
weeks to come. 1t now remains for his
foot to form union with the piece of
bone supplied by Zip. The operation
was begun by DR.. Phelps about three
weeks ago. Johnnie Gethius is not
known, and neither are his parents nor
his place of residence known. HIS leg
has been experimental OH many times
and by many physicians, but with no
other result than to leave him minus
two or three inches of bone in the leg
AT last he placed himself in the hands
of Dr.. Phelps, who has made orthOpadic
surgery study for years. Elaborate
preparations were made, and Johnnie
submitted to the pain and confinement
with the fOrtitude OF stole. Both boy
and dog were encaSed in plaster casts.
The dogs vocal cords were severed and
she could only wag her tail and whine
family. In case Zip had given out DR..
Phelps had another healthy dog in the
cellar ready at moments notice to SUBJ
Stitute. The greatest care was taken
from the beginning and the pulse and
temperature OF the patients were
watched with the greatest solicitude.
Everything was done to insure the sue.
cess now at last achieved.
1t is the first case of the kind on
record and has attracted the attention
of not only the medical and surgical
world, but of the general public as well.
This has resulted in the gathering of
great crowds at the Charity hospitrl
every Sunday. Women in Boston and
Baltimore even went SO far as to pray
against its success.
Only once have the patients been dis
turbed and that was one night when a
delirlous patient became unmanageable
in an adjoining ward.