St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-12-23
WAS IN DEATHS GRIP.
One Of the Most Remarkable
Operations in the Annals
OF Surgery.
Practical Dissolution Of a
Boy While Under the
Knife.
Prompt Action by the Sur
geon Brings Back the
Spark Of Life.
The Operation Is Completed
And the Boy Now Con-
ValeScent.

NEW YORK, Dec. 22.-Ihe medical
profession is much stirred, so far as it is
yet familiar with the facts in the case,
by the details of a remarkable surgical
operation performed within few days
by Dr.. Albert Skunk, of this city. The
fact accomplished is no less than the
bringing back TO life Of person practi-
cally dead. as the term is usually under.
stood. Among the many wonderful
cases recorded in recent years, proba-
bly, not one has been marked by features
as unique as that of which Jimmy Nc
Gaughey, aged twelve, is the living ex
ample. The physician was called to
the case late III the evening, and found
the patient had very marked symptoms
Of appendicitis" or, as it is vulgarly
called, inflammation of the blind gut.
Though the seat of the trouble was
not apparent, the diagnosis made plain
the fact that the sufferer was doomed,
as far as could be determined by prece-
dents in similar eases. On the advice
of the physician the members of the
family were advised of the gravity of
the case, and when, next morning, a
very siZable lump was observable over
the seat of the inflammation, the dag
nosis was fully justified, and the
trouble was exactly
Stated to BE an Abscess
around the vermiform appendix. An
operation was at once recommended.
but was delayed until the arrival of
relatives who had been summoned in
anticipation of the near approach of
death. The next afternoon the surgeon
was finally called, and directed to pro-
ceed. When he arrived it was diScoV-
cred that the absceSs had broken, thus
covering the inteStines with the lib
Grated matter.
In this crisis it was clear to the scien-
tific mind that the boy was dying. The
doctor told the family that dissolution
would take place within an hour, aud,
though it was possible that an opera
ton might result successfully, the
chances were many times against It.
Permission to proceed was given, it
being understood that i'll any event of
failure to secure relief the end would
not be fastened more than fifteen min
utes. The patient was quickly
placed OH table, and while the
influence of slight an3Sthetic
was made in the walls of the abdomen.
From the inciSion there was at once
plenteous flow of pus. No sooner had
this taken place than the pulse ceased
to beat, the heart stopped, the jaw
dropped and every indication of the
most complete collapse betokened the
presence OF death. The CLASSY eyes up
turned, the GOODNESS of the eXtremitieS
and the death perSplration with which
the body was covered left no doubt in
the minds of those present that the eX-
pertinent had resulted fatally. At this
point
The Surgeons Skill
was displayed. With one hand he tore
open the wound, while with the other
he emptied the contents or pitcher of
hot water into the abdominal cavity.
For brief interval the huttering re-
newal of action was apparent only to
the practical medical eye. but soon the
pulSatlon grew strong and ere long the
boy gave unmlStakaDle signs Of return
ing consciousness. Then the eyes were
opened in daZtd sort of Way,aS il the
subject was awakened from deep sleep.
Inc action of the hot water, having
neutralized the effect of the ether that
had been given the patient. was assisted
to retain the ground gained by the adj
miniStration OF hyDerdermic injections.
With new lease of life there was a
chance for the surgeon to look for the
seat of the abSceSS. The foreign sub
stance was found and removed by most
delicate operation, and today the patient
Is cOnvaleScent.
The operations for the removal of the
''vermiform appendix" are by no means
uncommon, but the surgeons knife is
rarely sanctioned by experienced prac-
titiOners in the cases with physical con-
ditionS as extreme as those III the one
here cited. Some idea Of the interest
manifested in the case may be gained
from the statement that for several days
efforts have been made to obtain the de-
tails without success. From the points
here given it is claimed that medical
men now believe it to have been deter
mined that no case of appendicitis need
he necessarily regarded us fatal.