Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-01-21
ALIVE wIrH HnAnr EXPOSED.
The Strange Case of New York Man
Whose Heart is Exposed to View.
New York World.

whose Heart is Exposed to Wow.
New York World.
John j. Norris, boiler maker, had
very hard days work on September Sd,
1890. He was hammering rivets that
day from 6 in the morning until 10 at
night. 1t made him tired, and when he
reached his home, No. 1856 Lafayette
avenue, Brooklyn, that night he was so
weak that he sat down on the front
door stoop to rest q minute. He fell
asleep. He slept on until midnight,
when his wife, worried over his absence,
opened the front door to watch for his
approach. She was glad to find her
husband on the steps, but directly be-
came deeply concerned to find that he
was in stupor and almost unable to
move.
For three weeks Norris lay sick with
o violent fever. On November /, 1890,
he went back to work, but he missed
his old-time strength. He consulted
physicians at Roosevelt Hospital One
of them discovered that the sometime
strong boilermaker was suffering from
suppuratiye pleurisy thad been caused
by the fever. Its seat was on the left
side, in the region of the heart Ordinary
treatment failed to give Norris relief.
Then II was explained to him that there
was but one course to pursue. That
was to make an opening and remove
parts Of three or four ribs. The doctors
said this was the only way in which the
sick mans life could be saved.
The danger of the operation and the
chances of its resulting in death were
| explained to Norris He resolved to
take his chances. The operation was
performed on December Sd, 1890, by
DIR. McBerney. 1t took so minutes 10
remove the flesh and saw away the RIBS
When the ordeal was ended there was
an opening in Norris left side fully
four inches in diameter. Through 1t
could plainly be seen the mans pulsat-
ing heart and portion of his left lung.
Norris lived. Careful nursing brought
him back to health and strength. To be
sure, there was the hole in his side, the
opening that exposed that vital part,
the blood-pumping heart. But the doc
tors had way of dressing it with anti
septic cloths that prevented poisoning
and kept the patient from catching cold.
At first it had to be dressed very fire.
quently, then IL was found that a new
dressing every three or four days would
suffice.
And this being the case, Norris felt
that he could, that he ought to, 60 to
work again. And he did. Boiler.
making, though, was too severe for q
man with his heart exposed, SO he
sought lighter employment. A job was
given him by George Broadhurst IL Son
makers of manicure goods. at No. 4
Howard street. There Norris is work.
ing now. He is getting along pretty
well and is rather happy. His DISPOSE.
ton is cheerful and he is philosopher
enough TO look on the best front OF
affairs. Over in lIoboken, at No. l0t
Second street, he has as cosy home as
man with his wages can have, and
there Norris manages to get good bill
of domestic comfort with his wife, q
little girl of and a boy of 6 years.
Sometimes Norris holds small
mirror to his side and sees his throb
bling heart reflected in the glass. 1t is
taking great risks though for him tc
NEEDLE with the, dressing and bandag
ing, and therefore he seldom does so
His condition is such that it is pruden
for him to see q doctor often, and, be
sides, a doctor is the only one who cal
properly place the antiseptic cloths il
position. OF late he has been going Il
the Chamber Street Hospital to hav,
this service performed. The doctor
there are interested In the case. The
say it is remarkable. "rhere have
,, been instances" said one of the physi
clans yesterday, "where operations hay
been performed rendering it neccssar,
for incisions TO be made in the side, bu
in such cases the wounds soon healet
: and the opening was closed. In Norris
case there is no prospect of healing, til
: opening is too large. Norris suffers n
! ! pain now, and if he has the dressing al
! tended to properly he is likely to liv
/ for many years. He is 80 years old now
Y is feet 10 inches tall, and while ne
!, robust, is wiry and quite active"