The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1892-08-13
a STONE IN HIS TONGUE.

Ino NurtouS AN Logon OF California
convict.
A delicate and peculiar operation In
surgery was performed recently, says
the San Francisco Examiner. the
patient being convict serving sem
tencc in the Folsom penitentiary. NJ
The surgeon In charge of the
prison. DIR. Thomas b. Eagle. OBLIGATED
In the operation. and with most sue
cessful results. which Is tho moro
creditable from the fact that only
;hrec similar successful operations are
known to medical history.
Tho prisoner on whom the operation
was performed was first treated about
eighteen years ago at Placervilie for
an affection OF the throat which the
physician ut the time diagnosed as
tonsilitis. Under the influence OF
astringent and healing remedies tho
pain would temporarily subside but
would reappear ut certain intervals.
Sometime ago tho prisoner APP
pearcd at the morning sick call"
mt the prison complaining that his
throat was much worse than usual.
Tho conventional remedies were pro-
scribed and he was excused from
labor.
This condition OF affairs prevailed
for two or three days without any
abatement Of the iniiammatory symp-
toms; in fact tho patient became so
much worse that thorough examin.
alton was made Of his throat by means
OF magnifylng glasses which resulted
In the discovery OF a hard. foreign
substance in the loft submaxillary
region under the base Of the tongue.
When the discovery was made tho
patient had become SO debilitated
through pain. insomnia and lack of
nourishment that 1t was deemed unwise
TO attempt an operation until such a
time us his system could DO strength
ened by stimulants and nourishment
Instead however, OF improving
under the new regime adopted. tho
prisoner grow rapidly worse. being
unable to swallow any food either OF
a liquid or solid nature.
The conclusion was then reached
that II his life was to be saved an i'm
mediate operation was necessary.
1t was determined to remove the
substance II possible. from the inside,
thus avoiding an external incision and
an open wound with q resultant scar.
For this purpose pair of long,
curved vuselum forceps was designed
by Surgeon Eagle and manufactured
by the prison blacksmith. When the
patient was placed in the operating
chair the track surrounding the sub
stance to be removed was thoroughly
annsthetized with cocaine. The
tongue was then carefully lifted and
drawn aside, and the long. slender
points q the forceps were introduced
into the orifice. or cul de sac. whore
the substance had taken root and h ad
been 30 long nourished and supported.
The sharp teeth OF the instrument
soon secured q purchase on the hard
formation. and 1t was gently torn
from its attachments and removed
from Its depository. Only q slight
hemorrhage ensued. which was speed
lily checked. the cavity was thorough
ly cleansed with antiseptics and the
patient was placed In bed for rest and
recuperation.
Tho relief from pain was immedi-
ate. and the recovery from the opera
ton extremely rapid considering the
exhausted condition OF his constitu-
ton.
The substance when removed and
placed under the microscope proved
to be in all its essential features a
small piece OF rock measuring one and
one-half inches in length, one and
one-eighth inches In width at its
widest part and about one inch thick.
It's weight was one and one-eighth
ounces.
Physicians and surgeons who have
heard OF this case hold diversity of
opinion regarding the primary cause
OF the abnormal formation. but the
majority are OF the opinion that It was
smoll fruit seed or perhaps particle,
OF vegetable or calcareous matter that
first found Judgment under the tongue,
and by means OF those mysterious
processes by which nature builds her
various formations had attracted to
itself during the absoi pton OF food
and drink those portions OF phos-
plates lines and earths which have
rive- I. .N~o''~', -c~Ts o. n RI. a. =