The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1893-01-13
FR|GHTFULLY FROST BITTEN,
A RancIman Injured Almost into
Death While Driving His
Sheep.
Great Falls Surgeons Have Per.
formed II Wonderful Operation
Upon Him.

Many accidents resulted from the Sc
we're weather of December, but probably
the most remarkable of all these is that
of a sheep man from Otter creek who
now lies in a critical condition at the
Sisters hospital in this city.
This man is a well-to.do rancher who
has a fine place near the Highwood
mountains. At the beginning of the
cold spell he purchased q band of sheep
I some distance from home with TIE in
tention of sending them the greater part
OF the way by rail, but as he regarded
the railroad company's charges as too
high he decided to drive them and
started on his way. He was dressed, DIS
he thought, in Il manner to defy the
cold, having on lamb skin undergar-
ments, and being amply protected by
the warmest known clothing.
But the subtlety of the frost was more
searching than he had imagined, and
while pressing forward with his charge,
himself on horseback and the sheep
amblIng along the best they could over
the ice and frozen ground. the lower
portion of the ranchman's body was
frozen in a most severe manner As
soon DIS his injuries were discovered one
of the leading surgeons of this city was
summoned, and saw at once that the
patient must be taken to a hospital to
be properly treated. The doctor took
the injured man in a sleigh to the near
est station on the Belt mountain line,
anI pl.atpr hin, IN "a Int IL, Oh, trp..,
brought him to Great Falls.
1t was finally decided by the doctor
that the case wal of so unusual a nature
that he must seek advice. He accord
iugly called in other skillful practitioners
and after consultation it was decided
that n radical operation must be per-
formed. Over three hours were con
sumed yesterday in the completion of
this marvellous piece Of surgery. and
there is lot on record another case sim
liar toit. The scrotum was so badly in
.lured by the frost that it sloughed Off,
leaving the cords and tendons OF the
body bare and exposed. The flesh on
the lower part of the abdomen was like
wise injured.
The object Of the operation was to
close up the terrioie gaps in the mans
body, but so much of the tissue had
sloughed off that the surgeons had
nothing to work on. To supply the de-
.iciency they cut flaps Of skin from the
thighs Of the patient and stitched them
over the injured parts to hold them in
place, and then drew the skin together to
cover the wounds made in the thighs.
While the operation was being per-
formed the injured man was, of course,
under the influence of aesthetics. Up
wards of one hundred stitches. each tied
separately, were required in the opera
ton. and it is not surprising that the
surgeons were almost exhausted when
their remarkable task was done.
The patient rallied in fair condition at
the termination of his ordeal. and at a
iate hour last night his condition was
rep hrted as favorable, the temperature
Deing at 100. He has a wife and three
children ard the surgeons will do every.
thing in their power to save his life.
They believe that he has a fair chance
81 recovery unless complications arise.
and all pronounce the case as unique in
the annals of medicine.