The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-06-03
LIKE BOTHWELL'S CASE.
A Man Receivers With a Gold
Piece in His Wind-Pipe.

A remarkable accident, in many respects
similar to that of DR.. Boutwell, OF Brooklyn,
occurred many years ago to very eminent
man. lsambert Brunei, known all over the
world as the engineer of the tunnel under
the Thames River at London. and as the
builder of the Great Eastern steamship, was
very fond of amusing his children by feats
Of legerdemain, says the Philadelphia Item.
On one occasion. desiring to make half
sovereign disappear in mysterious manner,
he placed the coin in his mouth. To his
horror the piece of gold lodged in his wind
pipe. This happened Oh April 3, 1913, and
1t did not Teappear between the gentleman s
lips until the 18th day Of the following
month.
The case was celebrated one, and at the
time was chronieled in every medical Journal
throughout the civilized world. On April
18TH fifteen days after the accident, the re-
nowned physician, Sir Benjamin BrOdie, was
consulted regarding Mr.. BrunePs condition.
In his opinion the half-sovereign had passed
into the windpipe, in precisely the same
manner as the cork had passed into Mr..
Bothwelrs. Mr.. Brunei strengthened the
opinion expressed by Sir Benjamin by a
simple experiment. He bent his head and
shoulders over chair and distinctly felt the
coin drop toward the CLOTHS. and while rails
ing himself violent ht OF coughing came
on, which ceased after few minutes. On
April 22d a consultation was held, at which
it was decided that conclusive evidence ex-
listed of the half-sovereign having passed
into the wlndpipe, and that it had probably
lodged at the bottom of the right bronchus,
and that it was movable.
Ii was determined to attem pt its removal,
and for this purpose an apparatus was con-
Structed for inYertlng the body of the pa
tient in order that the weight Of the coin
might assist the natural effort to eXpel 1t by
coughing.
The first experiment was made on April
18th. The patients body was inverted and
his back gently struck with the hand be-
tween the shoulders and violent cough
came on, but OF so convulsive a character
and so alarming that danger was appre-
hended, and the experiment was discOn-
tinued. On this occasion the coin was
again moved from its situation and slipped
towards the CLOTHS.
On April 9th tracbe0tOmy was performed
by Sir Benjamin Brodie, assisted by DR..
Aston Key, with the inteatiOn of extracting
the coin by the foreeps, if possible. or, in
the event of this failing, with the expecta-
ton that the opening of the windpipe would
facilitate repetition of the experiment Of
the 18th, that of inyerting the patient 5
body. But the introduction OF the fOrceps
was attended with so much irritation that
it was abandoned as being dangerous to the
life Of Mr.. BTuael. On May Sd another
the eminent surgeon, and Mr.. Stanley both
confirmed the opinions expressed by Sir
Benjamin Brodle and nr. Key. ThereupOn
it was resolved TO repeat the operation of
inversion of the body as soon as Mr..
Brunei could bear 1t, and to continue it as
often as possible, while the ineisiOn in the
wndDipe vas continued open. On May 18Th
MIR. Brunei was again placed on the appara-
tus, the body inverted, and the back gently
struck
After two or three coughs he felt the coin
quit the place on the right side of the chest
and in a few seconds it dropped from his
mouth, without exciting, in its passage
through the CLOTHS, any distress or incon-
venience, the opening In the windpipe pre-
venting spasmOdic action IN the CLOTHS.
The most remarkable features of this case
were that a piece of gold remained in the
air-tube for six weeks quite movable and
without exciting any infammatOTy action.
the breathing entirely undSturbed. and the
only symptoms of its presence being occa-
sional uneaSiness on the right side of the
chest and frequent fits of coughing.
How He Fools the Pfckpockets.
In a group at a club last night we'll
known banker, lingering an empty watch
fob bem0aned the loss Of n $3.50 timeDiece,
which had been picked from his pocket on
the elevated road in rash within few
hours. He expected consolation, but this Is
WUdt lie HtdIu HUH IdlIIOQ man,
whose wealth is counted in the
| millions, aud who pulled out and
displayed a handsome Open-faced watch
as he spoke, which, but for what he said,
might have been taken in his possession
| for valuable piece of jewelry: "You were
| foolish man to carry so valuable watch
| unless you have fob that is hidden from
sight. Now lost a watch in the same way
eight or nine years ago, so 1 know you were
| foolish by my own experience. | went
out and looked over good time-keepers
of American make in inexpensive
cases. The watch cost me Just So.
! 1t has kept time just as perfectly as the old
one did. None of my friends have any sus-
| piciOn that the gold is only twelve carat and
| that the cases are filled. 1t looks as we'll as
anybody's watch. and after all the years /
| have carried IL. ii a pickpocket gets it lie
| gets what does him no good and only makes
| the annoyance to Inc Of buying another. ]
think have the watch business down fine. "
| n. Y. Press.