Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-10

The Story Of Boys wenderful Escap.
From Death.

| The Story Of Boys Wonderful Escap>
From Death.
There are few boys who have been 20 close Il
death ~ Eddie Seifert the ffteen-year-old sor
OF Col A. E. Seifert, secretary Of the brewers
exchange OF New York. and at the same time
there are few cases Of escape from death thai
viii prove 30 interesting to the public and "a
the medical profession ~ his. The boy, &C.
cording to the statement Of his physician has
two pieces of q bullet encysted in his brain,
and yet today he is very active and promising
lad.
The Seiferts live at 10 West 18th street, New
York city. Early in June Col Seifert took his
family to Valley Forge, village in the Cats
Kills, FOR the summer. The boy Eddie was par
ticularly fond Of shooting and fishing. June
10, while out enjoying these sports with . boy
OF the village, he received his wound. He was
Trying to cross . stream with his rife in his
hand His foot slipped on . stone. The rife
zen from his hand and was discharged. The
bullet entered his head just over the right eye.
The village boy, after dragging Eddie out Of
the water, ran for help. When help came the
boy was found sitting on q fat rock, perfectly
conscious, wiping from his head the blood and
brain matter which oozed from the wound.
Inc boy swooned when he was being carried
back to the hotel The local physician treated
him and he regalned consciousness. Then Col
Seifert arrived from New York with his family
physician. The electric probe was applied to
the wound. 1t was found that the bullet, when
it had struck his skull had split. One-haf had
torn Its way upward through the brain and
rested half inch from the wall of the skull
The other bali, after blowing its way straight
into the brain for six inches, had imbedde itself
there. The physicians said the boy must die.
Col Seifert brought all of his family home
except the boy and his mother. A friend adj
vised him to consult another physician Of New
York in regard to his boys case. He took the
doctor up to Valley Forge. On examination
the doctor found splinter Of bone pressing on
the brain at the mouth Of the wound. After
let again, and found they rested a. described
above. He gave little hope Of the boys re-
covery, but, as q surgeon, became greatly in
terested in the case Of one who could live I'M
der such circumstances, and he gave the lad
his almost constant attention.
Young Seifert was however, rapidly losing
his strength. He ate little or nothing, and had
severe pains in his head. July 3 the doctor
said that an operation must be performed, and
on its success would rest the only hope Of the
boys recovery. Eddie was brought home. To
all appearances the wound had almost healed
up then, but the doctor said that 1t must be re-
opened. July the operation was performed.
The wound was deadened with cocaine and
ether was administered. Then hole about an
inch in diameter was bored in the skull.
1t was found that the path through the head
which the bullet had plowed was filed with
small pieces Of shattered bone and with pus.
The wound was thoroughly cleansed. Then q
silver tube was run through it, with a double
purpose. 1t kept the wound open 90 that it
could heal and carried of the discharge of pus
and brain matter.
There was at once . marked improvement in
the lads condition. The fever was greatly de-
creased almost Immediately. His appetite came
back and his strength began to return. For
week the discharge Of brain matter through the
tube was alarming, there certainly being as
much as two teaspoonfuls of it. Improvement
was steady, however, and finally the pieces of
lead in the boys head became cncysted. and
July II the doctor told Col. Seifert that Eddie
would live.
Fifteen days after the operation the lad was
out OF bed, weak as compared with his former
strength, yet with all his faculties and his
strength rapidly returning. He plays now with
his brothers and sisters and in another month
will have nothing to show for the terrible Or
deal through which he has passed except bad
scar on his forehead.