Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1891-10-13
WONDERFUL SURGERY

can you think ~ an operation that
would rryatr mindf 'tn YOU Cou.
,-iy- ~ thu meaning io hum inlty 20
discovery that would transform con.
genital lmhcyil. Into RATIONAL h.ing
~uch an operation va. the one ! We
privileged a. see.
The patisnt Va child about one
year old. Of good parrntagc and II
healthy bodily growth asld" from the f,ri
that It. skull va. that 10 q new barn
rhild. and II hal hardened and solliih"d
lnto that shipc and .lye. IN. "soft spot
Nas not there. and the .uturus or SEAMS
- the skull h,d grown fasi and soll I, ."
that the brain within was cfamp~l and
compressed by Il. unyieldin. bpny
covering.
The body could groW-tiii grow
but the poor little compressed brain, thc
ilrr,tor ~ the Intelligent aud voluntary
,ctlon, ~ the body, wis kept lt lt'
fir.t estate. Even worse than thl', IT.
struggle with ". bony cage made prcss.
urr which caused distortion aud aimlcs.
or unmcaning movement. The arm and
leg turned in, In that helpless, pathetic
Way that tells ~ lmt~cilliy. In short,
the baby "a. physical healthy imbcclle
the mo.i pathetic object on thl. sad
earth. Upon examination, the surgeon,
, gentle. sNcrt-naturcd man, shose en-
thusiasm fDf hl. profc.si0n-for the ~
lief of suffering him the object
20 devotion of many to whom he has
glyeu lite and health, aud the insplrrr
ni dnal appeal from many a brother
practitioner, discovered what he believed
10 De the trouble. Led by that mo.t
uncommon ~ all thlngs, cOmmon-.ense,
hc believed that this little victim of
natures mistake might be changed from
a condition Ear worse than death Ia one
II comfort for Itself, aud "a those Who
pow looked upon II only la anguish of
.Oul.
After explaining to the parent. and
the surgeons who had come to witne..
the wonderful experiment (for, after all,
NJ this stage IL was but an experiment
based upon common ."nse) that u
might fall; after modest aud simple
statement 81 hi reason for undertaking
90 d,ngerOu. an operation, With nO prec-
cient before hun; after explaining that
the parent. fully understood that not
to try meant hopeless hlocy, aud
that the trial might mean death-he be-
gan Ia work. will try Ia tell what u
was In language that IL not scicutlflc,
aud may seem to those accustomed to
surgical term. inadequate aud unlelrn-
.i but to tho.. who ar. not technical
medical students I believe the le.- tech
nIcal language will be- Ear clearer.
The chlld's skull Was laid bare In
front. Two tracks we're cut from .
little above the base (or top of the nose
up and over 90 the back ~ the head.
One Of these track. va. cut on each side
the surgeon explained, because IL would
give equal expansion to the two sides of
the brain aud because IL would cause
death Ia cut through the middle of the
top of the head, where lics ''the superior
ongitudInil sinus" lie left, therefore,
the solid track of bone through the mid
die, ani cut two grooves or tracks ~
bone, one on either side, where nature
when she doe. not make a mi.take)
leaves soit or yielding edges, by which
the normal skull expands to flt the needs
Of the brain within.
The trench made displaced or cut away
one-quarter of an inch Of solid bone all
the way from the base of the nose 10 the
back of the head. In the middle of
the top Of the head on each .iie a
crosswis. cut was made, aud Que inch
% hone divided. Another cut was made
on either side, slsntlng toward the ears.
This was one and half inches long.
The surgeon then tendcriy Inserted hi.
forefngrrs, pressed the internal mss.
loose from the bones where II adhered,
aud pushed th. bones wider apart.
Thls process wiiened the trenches la
one Inch.
The wound was now dressed with the
wonderfully effective ne~ aseptlc., and
the fe,h and skin closed over. The
operation h,i taken an hour and half.
There WA. little bleeding.
The baby ralli-d well. In three diy.
IL showed improved intelligence. IN
eight days this Improvement was mark.
ell. From q creature that sat listle.s,
deforned and unmindful Of all about u,
IL began 10 "take notice." like otiic,
children. From an ''it." Il had been
transformed Into q "he." Il had beer
given personality. Il ate and slept
fairly well.
One month after the operation ths
feet and hands had Strengthened out
and lost their jerky, almless movements
The child IL now child. Il acts ant
thinks like other children, laughs and
cooes and makes glad the hearts oi
those who love it.-lIarper's Magazine