, 1892-03-26
LOSES BOTH EYES.
AN EXTRAORDINARY CASE OF SUR
gerry INTENSE SUFFERING.

Mrs. Homer Baldwin's Heroic Fora
tLtude-A Display OF Vitality and
Nerve which the Doctors Say is
Unusual as 1t is Helpful.
YoNKERs, N. Y, March 26.-The case Of
Mrs. Homer r.. Baldwin, il this city, IS one
ofthe most extraordinary on record. Not
one person in a thousand could have sus-
tanned the injuries she did and have lived
for so long time afterward. She has been
lying at the point of death on account of
the frightful injuries she received in the
railroad accident at Hastings last Christ
mas eve. She underwent several danger
GUS surgical operations yesterday after
noon and emerged from the ordeal in a
very satisfactory condition.
Her physicians, DIR. Emil Schopen and
P. Callan hardly. expected that she would
survive the operations. They were resorted
to as the only possible means Of saving her
life. 1t was found necessary to cut out
both her eyes. This operation, together
with several others, was successfully per-
formed.
Mrs. Baldwin was in a very enfeebled
condition when the operations were per
formed, and it was found necessary to have
at hand every precautionary means of re-
hYiYing her should the ether have a suffo-
eating effect. A powerful Faradaic battery
was at hand, and bag of oxygen gas, with
tube arrangements, to be inserted in the
Windpipe to produce artificial breathing in
case of suffocation. Mrs. Baldwin was in
a highly nervous state, and was quite hys-
terieal as the doctors entered the room. but
she braced up wonderfully in few mo-
ments and showed the utmost resignation.
81 know that l shall never come out of
the ether alive, \ shesaid, sIbut am willing
to take every possible chance of living that
is offered me-"
DR. David John, acting as assistant, then
administered the ether and the operations
we're begun. The first operation-that OF
1 removing the eyes-was performed by DIR.
Callan, assisted by DR.. Schopen. 1t lasted
twenty-five minutes. Then DR. Schopen
proceeded toamputate four dead bones that
protruded from the right hand like the
fingers of a skeleton, and to patch up the
mutilated thumb of the hand.
Afterward he cut away the heart of the
dead bone of the right arm, and removed
the mortifying flesh around it. 1t had
been his intention to have carefully scraped
away the dead bone tissue from the ex-
posed portion Of Mrs. Baldwin's skull, but
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postpone this operation till some future
time. The operations on the hands lasted
just eight minutes, aud short time after
ward Mrs. Baldwin called for her father tc
come to her side. She conversed nationally
and appeared to be quite strong.
The physicians were delighted at the sue
cess that had attended their operations
and declared that Mrs. Baldwin possessed
an amount of vitality that was simply as
tonishing.
DR.. Callan has taken the eyes away witt
him to be preserved as evidence in case
they should be needed. DR.. Emil Schoper
will remain at the Getty House severa
days until all danger of relapse on the par
of Mrs. Baldwin has passed away. He hal
4, fought from the first moment he took he
case in hand a heroic battle against wha
seemed to be inevitable death, and he nov
feels quite hopeful that his patient will re
cover.
Of the ten pieces of skin already GRATED
upon Mrs. Baldwin's forehead, five hay
retained their vitality and grown nicel,
into place-one of them having already at
tanned the size of a half dollar. Mrs. Bald
win is q wealthy lady. If she recovers
is her intention to establish large mis-
: sion.