New-York tribune., 1891-02-20
THE BOY AND THE DOG.
DIR. PHELPS'S REPORT on BONE GRATING.
HIS EXPERIMENT. WHILE NOT ENTIRELY sue
CEsSFUL, SHOWED SEVERAL IN
pORTANT FACTS.

| CESSFUL, SHOWED SEVERAL IN
PORTANT FACTS.
In The forthcoming number Of The Medical Record
Of New York. DR.. ~ NJ. Phelps will publish an account
of his experiment Of grating bone from dog TO that
| OF human being. The published rep0ts, the Doctor
says. were incorrect. The experiment was performed
at the Charity Hospital Blaclwcll's Island in the
latter part of 1890 According the Doctors report,
the patient. n lad named John Getlus suffered from
an ununiied fracture of the lower third OF the leg, tho
result of an operation 10 remedy antcoor curvature
| of the tina which had existed from childhood Tho
muscles Of the boys leg were perfect
| TIE lad first came under DR.. Phelps observation
two years ago. \ number OF experiments were tired
upon the leg but failed 10 relieve the patient or help
| The ueformlty. Ii decided therefore to try the
| bone grating process. dog two years old was
secured and prepared for The operation. II washed
| in soap and water and solution of hichloride OF
| mercury. The dog then eheIizcd and cnvelopcd
I'm thick LAYER of absorbent cotton. IL placed
| in natural sitting posture. over the cotton were
placed few coats of plaSier Of Paris.
| The right forelcg of the animal protruded through
| the dressings This leg shaved and made ascptc
with bchlordc Of mercury The boy was also anaes-
thczei, and the ends of the fractured bones wefo
flc,hencd." Two ciptiCal incisOnS were then mado
| i'm the fracture four inches in length. with a saw
the ends Of the bones frcshened' \ space OF
| one inch was made between them. The portions Of
|
| ,cmblcd ivory more than bone
The limb Of the patient then envcopcd in n
plaster OF Paris landaec, beginning six inches above
| hc nc~.oa and extending to the upper third oi INC
| tli.h The foot and ankle also covered WIN
pIser Of Paris blndaSc. An lnci,lon wa then hadc
in The skin oi the dog for the purpose Of cutting
| piece which would tit in the clnptcalshapcd wound
OF the PATIENTS leg The elbow was cXcised next; the
| radius ard ulna were severed and the mmcru' re-
| moved. The extremity near the paw was amputatcd
The attachment Of the bccp> tendon was also detached
| from the bone.
The dog wa, then placed ly the side OF the patients
| lcc with the head toward the patient IN alanhnh
| dovcIpn WI, passed through the mcdullary cavity
in the long axis of The bone steel pin, the doctor
Low thinks. would have bcc7 preferable. The bones
were forced together by the pin. silver wire was
| ua,,od around the graft. II held the bone firmly
| in place. \ large tube was Inserted lor
| the purpo," Of drainage. The patients
were pat 20 bed At time, tley received small ""'''
Of morphine. After three day, the dog and the boS'
the doctor says, ost their mpaicnce and De'a"o '''
friends.
In .pcallnc Of the results Of the operation. which
| l,>oI about -iN week. the doctor say; "lh' "P
Grafton d, q success, in FAR as II c'tahh'h'7 ''c
principle that 1t is possible 70 grow large masses oi
| ti-,ie from an animal 10 man. and 10 e'iabhSh 'i'
circulation until the union takes plire between "P
p,.ft, .pccc, without danger 10 either. II also de-
mon,t.lic. t.at growth Of new bone tax" P'l'o
when cotton 0f bone is rauspaUted aud IT, nutrition
maintained by the artery o; the animal. Thls II con
tnu.-i for four or five weeks would probably umi' a
~ ctfr, Gvu- u tho inefficient dressing, NH,n ~
ami o occur in all early operations. the cItnct @i ~, M
! t'au-ul,nt,d bone coud not be cuhtlhucu 'uN'cuIn
| f,rg f,r hone 10 mite u bone. llt an rohhN'l
,ecr ,fa,tur the -,ecimcu and taxing al th' 'NhW
,lnn- and surround ug, into account, that bouE uhl
" iii bay, t,t.u plac" IL actual contact cnnh nave
hon rl,iut.n.d f1r longer period Inc suhinla'oh
| Of he esur. however ma, excited pailV pro-
u ,I. fractIrc and IL promises fair 10 uhl'. Ic
| iny ,,afl. With thc aid Of ono crutch or cane ,
| Dr. Ccorgc +. ~hrady. in writing cdtoih"lY oi ir.
az unrir,cut compliments DR.. Phelps. ana says tlat
td t,i, olru. A field for future study AMI cNptlmrhl
lie ad, among ot hrr ;hing-: Notwith'tanihs a'"hl
i'',n nf hone with bone did not uccu. -uch . pos
Iuity ,,itb different conditions and 'urNildi"s'' j.
! rce. .onahlv hopeful. In tH, pIrhcGr In,lah't ,u;
rrcn tilnc wa, lot allowed for thc completion oi au'h
\ "A pIutc~~.'