San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-10-12


Can you think of an operation that
would create mind? Can you con.
ceive of the meaning to humanity OF
a discovery that would transform q
congential imbecile into rational be-
ing? Such an operation was the one
was privileged TO see.
The patient was child about one
year old. OF good psrentage and OF
healthy bodily growth, aside from the
fact that it's skull was that of a new
born child, and iJ had hardened and
solified into that shape and size. The
"sott spot" was not there, and the
sutures or seams of the skull had
grown fast and solid, so that the brain
within was cramped and compressed
by its unyielding bopy covering. s'@rs4si
The body could grow-did grow
but the poor little compressed bran,
the director of the intelligent and
voluntary actions of the body, was
kept at its first estate. Even worse
than this, it's struggle with its bony
cage made pressure which caused
distortion and simless or unmeaning
movement. The arm and leg turn in,
in that helpless, pathetic way that
tells of i'm becility. In short, the baby
was a physically healthy i'm beetle the
most pathetic object on this sad earth.
Upon examination, the surgeon, a
gentle, sweet natured man, whose en-
thusiusm for his professsion-
for the relief Of sutferings
him the object of devotion of many to
whom he has given life and h ealth,
and the Iuspirer and final appeal for
many brother practitioner, discOv-
cred what he believed to be the
trouble. Led by that most uncommon
of all things, common sense, he be
lieved that this little victim OF ma
ture's mis- take might be changed from
d condition far worse than death to
one of comfort for Itself and to those
who low looked upon it only in an
guish OF soul.
Alter OK obtaining to the parents aud
the surgeons who mad come to wit
ness the wonderful experiment (for,
after sll, at this stage it was Dut all
experiment. based upon common
sense that 1t might fail; after a
modest and simple statement OF his
reason tor undertaking so dangerous
an operation, with no precedent be-
fore him; alter explaining that the
parents uily understo I'd that not to
try it meant hopeless ldiOCy, and that
the trial might mean death. / will
try to tell what it was in lam
guage thai is not scientific, and may
seem to those accustomed TO surgical
terms inadequate and unlearned; but
to those VINO are not technical medi-
cal students | believe the less techni-
cal language will be far clearer.
The child's skull was laid bare in
front. Two tracks were cut from u
little above the base (Or top of the
nose up and over the back of the
head. One of these tracks was cut on
each SIDE, the surgeon explained, be-
cause it would give equal expansion
to the two sides of the brain, and be-
cause it would cause death to cut
through the middle of the top of the
head, where lies "the superior longi
IuuIual sInus.n He left, therefore,
the solid track OF bone through the
middle, and cut two grooves or tracks
OF bone, ono on either side, where
Nature when she does not make
mistake) leaves soft or yielding edges,
by means of which the normal skull
expands to fit the needs of the brain
within.
away one quarter of an inch of solid
bone all the way from near the base
of the nose to the back of the head.
In the middle of the top OF the head
on each side a crosswise cut was
made, and one inch of bone divided.
Another cut was made on either side,
slanting toward the ears. This was
~ inches long. The surgeon then
nrlU fpf
pressed the internal mass loose from
the bones whore it adhered, and
pushed the bones wider apart. This
process widened the trenches to one
inch.
The wound was now dressed with
the wonderfully effective new asep-
tics, and the flesh and skin closed
over. The operation had taken an
hour and a half. There was little
bleeding. The baby was, of course,
unconscious during the entire tine.
Oh, the blessings of anathetics! And
now comes the wonderful result of
this bold and radical but tender and
humane operation.
The baby rallied we'll. In three
days it showed improved intelligence.
In eight days this improvement was
marked. From a creature that sat
listless, deformed and unmindful of
all about 1t, it began to take notice, "
like other children. From an Git it
had been transformed into he" 1t
had been given personality. 1t ate
and slept fairly well.
On the tenth day the wound was
exposed and dressed 1t had healed
or "united by first inten ton" as the
doctors say; and again one can but
exclaim, "Oh, those wonderful anti
septic dressings" 1t had united
without suppuratiOn. 1t was q clean