Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-04-06
He COULDN'T KICK.
Remarkable Endurance of a
Gotham Italian.
BoIH LEGS CUT OFF BIZ sEcT1oss,

While the Unfortunate Man Looked on
Perfectly Conscious. a Hear. Affection
Making Ansesth~ies Impossibi@-Terri-
BILE Addiction Caased by Ffiins, of
Bras. and Neglect of Medical Assistance
lie sueeumbs at Last to La Grippe
His Favorfie Joke.
NEW YORK. April IA man, who the
doctors say, possessed greater physical
courage than any one who ever came IN
der their observation. was among the vic
tins of the grip who died last week. His
name was John Robollo. and his crippled
figure has been familiar sight for the
past year or so on the west side Of town.
Four years ago RobolIo was a man in
rugged health, almost giant in strength.
He was employed as block cutter in a
wall paper factory. More than three
years ago bit Of brass filing became
lodged in some manner in the big toe of
his right foot Inflammation set in, but
Robollo would have nothing TO do with
doe ors.
The Poison in His Blood
Blood poisoning in mild form super
vened, and Robollo made up his mind
that the toe would have TO come off He
performed the operation without finch
ing. and ligatured and bandaged il so as
to control the hemorrhage. A fe weeks
later inflammation from his wound
spread. and gangrene set in. Then he APP
piled 10 the surgeons of Roosevelt hos
pital for treatment. They found il neees-
sary to take IF the entire foot inmedi
ately. Even that did not avail, and few
| weeks later another amputation was made
above the knee. He was discharged aP-
parently cured Both of these operations
| were performed without the administra-
ton OF an@sthetics, as Robolo was vic
tim OF heart disease, but he bore them
without fiinching.
Another Operation Necessary.
But the poison in RObollo's system had
apparently not been exterminated, for
three months after his discharge from the
hospital gangrenous symptoms APP
peared in the left foot and be was again
compelled to go TO the operating table.
This time the surgeons took of the let
leg st about the same point where the
other had been amputated Before he hal
recovered from that operation the fatal
blood poisoning reappeared in the stump
of the right leg. Then the surgeons were
about ready TO give him up. 1t was
therefore decided not TO operate When
Tee sifuation was explained 70 KobeIlo he
insisted that the operation should take
place without an anie-tbetie. lie didn't
care fore the pain, he said, and the sur
geons might go ahead as fast as they
pleased.
Astonishing Pluck and Nerve.
He was so determined in the matter
| that the doctors decided TO try it. They
| took of the right leg at the hip joint. and
| Robollo not only bore il without fainting
| or shrinking. but he grimly watched the
surgeons at work and even attempted to
assist them ) I some details. The doctors
| said it was the most remarkable exhibit
| Even this was not the end of the poor fel-
| lows sufferings. No sooner had he par
| TALLY recovered from the last awful ex-
perience in tie surgeons hands than the
same condition of things presented itself
in the left leg. That also was taken off
| at the hip jolt in the same manner
Lived Through 1t to Die of La Grippe.
Robollo lived through it. His wonder.
| ful pluck never deserted him for an in
slant He got well, and nearly two years
ago he was discharged cured He retained
his health until attacked by the grip about
| two weeks ago. and the disease finally
| conquered him. He had a comforts BILE
little property of his own, aud he earned
a partial living by selling trinkets. He
| never tired Of cracking his favorite Joke
| when asked how he W as doing in business
or otherwise His reply always was: ~Oh,
I can't kick =