The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-12-31
SHOWS HIS HEART FOR MONEY.
The Pulsation of His Heart Nav Be
Seen Through a Hole in His Chest.


From the New York Tribune.
It is exceedingly rare to find a man
whose heart is'so COM letely in his bust
ness as is that of Edward W. lighthouse
Mr.. lighthouse is at present staying at
the Putnam house in Fourth avenue, His
heart is his business-or rather showing
the beatings of his heart to the medical
profession and to students at medical col
leges throughout the country is his bust
ness. '
MIR. lighthouse has hole in the left
side of his chest large enough to admit
mans hand, in which the pulsations OF
his heart can be clearly seen. This open
ing extends from the third to the seventh
rib and is three inches wide. IL is the
result Of an operation for the radical cure
of an abscess in the pleural cavity, per-
formed by DR. Roswell Park four years
ago at the General hospital at Buffalo.
Mr.. lighthouse was employed in the
meat dressing room of p. d. Armour in
South Omaha in 1887, and while there he
took severe cold which resulted in
pleurisy Of the left lung. An abscess
formed in the pleural cavity and became
so dangerous as to demand surgical inter-
ference to save his life. He abandoned
his work at South Omaha and decided
finally to 20 TO the General hospital at
Budalo for treatment. There Eastland-
er's operation was performed upon, him
by DIR. Park.
The operation consisted In exsecting an
inch and q half from i've ribs in the chest
with the superintendent tissues, and
similar exsectiOn at corresponding point
in the back. This opened up the enJire
left chest Then nearly the whole of the
left lung was discovered to be gone By
means of this operation the pleural cavity
was freely opened and large quantity of
nus was discharged. The cavity was then
irrigated with a solution of chloride of
zinc and the wound dressed. AS result
of careful antiseptic precautions the
patient made rapid recovery, although
the opening of his chest has never closed.
Through this opening the ribs in the
back and the tissues between them can be
plainly seen. The hearts action is also
Visible On account of the cavity formed
by the collapsed left lung the heart is
pushed toward the left into this cavity
fully an irch by the elasticity of the right
lung This has entirely obliterated the
APPEAL impulse and the lower tip Of the
heart beats in the cavity instead Of against
the anterior walls of the ckest as it does
under normal conditions.
When seen by Tribune reporter yes
terday Mr.. lighthouse was sitting in the
corridor of the Putnam house reading
newspaper. His appearance does not in
dictate his peculiar physical condition. He
is tall and looks as strong and rugged as
any man. He talked freely about him
self. and said that he soon discovered
after leaving the hospital at Buffalo that
he could not do any work which de-
manded much exertion. He went to Bel
laire, O., where his wife and three chill
dren were staying, and found ii difficult to
make living for himself and family. A
month or so ago he adopted the plan Of
exhibiting himself TO the medical pro-
fession for livelihood
He has exhibited himself at clinics in
Chicago, Cincinnati, Colum bus and Louis
Vile. During his present visit in this.
city he has been shown 10 several Of DR..
w Gilman ThOmpsOn's classes at the
University Medical Coolidge, and also at
a clinic conducted by DR. Alfred L.
LOOMS, in Bellevue hospital. He was
also seen at the college of physician md
surgeons. DR.. w. Gilman Thompson Will
take Mr. lighthouse to New Haven next
Thursday, where he will be exhibited to
the medical faculty there. From New
Haven Mr. lighthouse will go TO Phila-
delphia, Washington and Baltimore.
He said yesterday that he was gener-
ally in good health, although he is obliged
to be careful Of his diet and habits. 10
avoid taking cold, MIR. lighthouse keeps
the cavity In his chest filled with cotton,
and next to his skin he weares buck
skin undershirt. He appreciates his con-
dition thoroughly, but fears no serious
developments as long as he takes care Of
himself He is more than ordinarily intel
ligent and Is not of the stuff from which
dime museum freaks are make. He is
modest and retiring, and does not care for
any more notoriety than the demands of
his occupation compel.