The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-03-02
the BoY AND THE DOG.
or. Pheips's Experiment. while not
Entirely Successful, Showed Impor-
tant Facts.

In "The Medical Record" Of New York.
DR.. A. NJ. Phelps publishes an account Of
his experiment Of grating a bone from
dog to that Of a human being. The pub
llshed reports, the Doctor says, were incor-
rect. The experiment was performed at the
Charity Hospital on BlackwelPs Island. In
the latter part Of 1890. According to the
Doctors report. the patient. lad named
John ,Gethius, suffered from an ununited
fracture Of the lower third Of the leg. the re-
suit Of an operation to remedy an anterior
curvature Of the tifia which had existed from
from childhood. The muscles Of. the boys
leg were perfect
The lad first came under DR.. Phelps OBJ
seryation two years ago. A number OF ex-
periments were tried upon the leg, but failed
to relieve the patient or help the deformity.
1t was decided therefore to try the bone
grating process. A dog two years old was
secured and prepared for the operation. IL
was washed In soap and water and solu-
tion Of blchl0ride OF mercury. The dog was
then etherized and enveloped In thick lay
er OF absorbent cotton. 1t was placed In
natural sitting position. Over the cotton
were placed few coats OF plaster Of Paris.
The right foIeleg Of the animal pr0truded
through the dressings. The leg was shaved
anu uldub 65cptlC WIN OtCuAOliuC Va mCA-
curry. The boy was also anaesthetized, ends
OF the fractured bones were "freshened."
Two elllptlcal incisions were then made In
the fracture four inches in length. With
saw the ends Of the bones were "freshened,"
A space of one inch was made between them.
The portions Of the bone which were re-
moved. the Doctor says, resemble ivory more
than bone.
Inc limb Of the patient was then enveloped
In a plaster Of Paris tandake, beginning six
inches above the inclsion and extending to
the upper third Of the thigh. The foot ana
ankle were also covered with plaster OF
Paris bandage. An incision was then made
In the skin Of the dog for the purpose OF cut,
ting piece which would fit In the elliptical
shaped wound Of the patients leg. The ell
bow was exclsed next the radius and ulna
were severed and the humerus removed. Inc
extremity near the paw was amputated.
| The attachment Of the biceps tendon was
also detached from the bone.
The dog was then placed by the side OF
| the patients leg. with the head toward the
| patient. An ALUMINIUM dowelpin was passed
| through the medullary cavity In the long
axis Of the bone; A steel pin, the doctor
bones were forced together by the pin. A
silver wire was passed around the graft. IL
held the bone firmly In place. A large tube
was inserted for the purpose Of drain
age. The patients were put TO bed; At
times they received small doses OF morphine.
After three days the dog and the boy, the
doctor says, lost their impatience and be-
came fast friends. -.,--
In speaking Of the result Of the operation,
which lasted about six weeks, the doctor
says: "The operation Is success, In so lar
as IL establishes the principle that 1t Is pos
| sible to grow large masses OF tissue from the
animal 10 man, and to establish the circula-
ti0n until the union takes place between op-
poslte species without danger to either. 1t
| also demonstrates that a growth OF new
bone takes place when section OF bone Is
transplanted and Its nutrition maintained by
the artery OF the animal. This, II continued
for four or five weeks, would probably unite
fracture. Owing to the inefficient dressing,
which Is apt to occur In all early operations,
the contact OF the tTansplanted bone could
not be continued sufficiently long for bone to
unite to bone. But am confident after view
Ing the specimen, aud taking all the c0ndi-
tions ana surroundings In account, that bony
| union would have taken place II actual con-
| tact could have been maintained Tor longer
| period. The stimulation Of the graft, now
ever has excited reparative process IN the
fracture, and II now promises fair 10 unite.
The boy walks with the and Of one eruten OF
| cane"
DR.. George +. Shrady, in writing edit3ri-
| ally of the experiment, compliments ,t ~,
i Phelps, and says that the trial opens sete ds
/ OF future study and experiment. hs @oct' sct
i among other things: "NOtwtthstanottnS SceTS
/ ual union Of bone with bone dld hoonditions
/ such possibility, with dinetent oneSni. In
i and Surroundings, Is reas0naY3y time was
i thIs partieular instance suInsns sneh n prO-
/ not allowed for the eOmpie''
i cess"