The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1891-04-25
Sisters Growing Together.

2
A remarkable surgical operation,
and one Of which the outcome will
be watched with much interest, was
performed in the operating room of
Grace hospital. Saturday morning
little Matilda Oresch, 10 years old,
was on one of the upper floors of
the grain elevator at West Detroit,
when, venturing too near a revolv-
ing shaft, her hair was caught by
the shaft and her entire scalp torn
off. After her arrival at the hospi-
tai Saturday an attempt was made
to restore the scalp, but it had been
off too long and would not reunite.
The child has constantly gained
strength, and the operation to which
reference is here made was per-
formed, with a view to covering her
head with new growth of skin.
The operation is that of grating
on skin, and has been practiced by
skilled surgeons for many years,
but never before has a graft Of such
magnitude as in the present case
been attempted. The usual method
employed is to graft on a piece one
or two inches in area, and allow that
to obtain growth before adding
the next piece. In this way the
process of grating skin over a
wound like that of Matilda Oresch
would take several months.
Shortly after 10 O'Clock in the
morning the brave little patient was
wheeled from her ward to the eleva-
tor and thence to the operating
room. It had been decided to graft
the skin from her sister Emma, IL
years old, and the surgeons had
carefully explained to her the oper-
alton and the pain which it would
cause her. Emma, however, ex-
pressed herself as willing to do
anything which would be for the
good of her sister. Two tables had
been prepared in the operating room
and when the two sisters had come
they were laid, one on each table,
and placed under the influence of
anesthetics. The operation was
performed by DR.. Charles S. Morley,
assisted by House Surgeon Hatch
and the members of the staff.
While a number Of doctors were
engaged in removing the bandages
from Matilda's head, DR.. Morley
and others were selecting the skin
upon Emma's body to be used. The
doctors marked with a lead pencil
a rectangular piece of cuticle eight
inches long by five and a half in
ches wide on the left side, just back
of the nipple and under the arm.
This was carefully removed until it
hung loose. and only retained by a
portion of the skin at the upper end
about two inches wide.
Then the two tables were placed
together, and Matilda's head. which
had been carefully washed, was laid
against her sisters side. The skin
on Emma's body was drawn out SO
as to cover most of the spot left
bare by the cutting, and sewed in
place. Thus only about one-third
of the surface of the cutting was
left bare, and it is thought that the
skin will soon grow SO as to cover
this entirely.
After getting the children together
the surgeons sewed the flap of skin
from Emma's side to Matilda's
scalp. This only covered about
half of the barred skull. The re-
mainder will require second oper-
alton. The children were then
bound together in such a manner
that they could not move. In this
position they will have to remain
for a while. During this period the
skin grated will retain its life
through the remaining connection
with Emma's body. By the end of
that period it is expected that the
skin will have obtained hold and
begin to grow upon Matilda's head.
It may then be severed from En-
mas body.
The first remark Emma made af-
ter regaining consciousness was /:
"What is that under my arm?'
Judging from the tone of her re-
mark and their own statements,
both children are resting easily, and
the doctors have the highest hopes
for the success Of the operation
Detroit Free Press.