The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-04-20
A SHOTS RESULT.
Nearly Kills a Man After
Fifteen Years.
A CURIOUS CASE INDEED.
Strange Aftermath of a Romantic At
tempt at Suicide-iow 1t Bothered
All the Doctors.

''Do you see that young man sitting on
! that dummy?" asked q doctor of a CALL
reporter yesterday.
We'll. he is an invalid. as you see, but
that lie should be out at all is a marvel.
His case is one of the most curious in
! the local annals of surgery and has baffled
all the doctors.
at originated very Economically. 100.
about fifteen years ago he, who was
! only 10 then. fell in love with a charming
! girl. His passion was reciprocated. but
| his parents thought he was too young to
marry. and refused their sanction to the
match.
| HE appeared 10 acquiesce in their de-
csion, but a change was observed in him.
| Always genial and hearty, having consti-
! tuition like iron, lie began to devote more
time to social pleasures and appeared thor
oughly reck less In his habits.
"a last, one day, afler drinking deeply,
he wrote a note declaring that he could lot
live without his sweetheart, and shot HIM
self IN the head, intending TO end his
troubles
But the pistol was Of small caliber and
the bullet did not effect the purpose Tor
which it was sped. The surgeons treDanned
the unconscious man, removing the pellet
and many splnters OF bone from the wound
above the right temple.
'The shock of the shooting and the grave
apprehension of losing their boy softened
the hearts of his Parents toward his 'n-
fatuaJion,' as they called it.
Then, too, the mothers sympathy had
already been caught by the young lady in
question herself and her evident anxiety Tor
her affanced. So when the latter was pro-
nOunced cOnvalescent the parental Opp0si-
ton to the match was withdrawn and the
nnptials OF the young couple were celebrated
with eclat.
THE couple lived very happily together,
and their union was blessed with four chIi-
dren.
mo bad after effects of the wound in
the head were observed for some time,
with the exception of a recurring condition
OF slight nervousness and irritability.
"But after the birth Of the fourth child
these symptoms became mere pronounced
IN character. The subject com planned OF
pains in different parts of his frame, and at
times appeared uneasy in almost any
posture.
III lis condition varied; at times ne would
be seemingly well and would be about rs
usual ; then, again, he would be confined to
the house.
"Within the last year the patient has
| been in an extraordinarily critical state.
He has been seized with a consuming thirst,
and on occasions has drunk no less than
twenty bottles OF soda water or gingeT-pop
.
nothing, and he was vlsbiy vastng away.
His wife and parents were distracted,
and tried every means in their power to
afford him relief. sending him 10 sanitari-
ums ana engaging the best medical talent
| and trained nursing.
Finally he was taken to ST. Luke'S Hos
pital. where | recently saw him.
Though ful-grown man Of more than
average weight when in good health. he
appeared a perfect skeleton, ant, ii was
said. did not weigh more than 20 pounds.
Nearly all the doctors in the city have
diagnosed the case. Tie strange wasting
away OF the young man could not be
aScrlbed to cOGSumptOn-his lungs are in
perfect condition; there was no evidence
of Brighrs disease. aud the liver trouble.
which he certainly had, would not account
for his representative condition.
'LocomotOr aiRXia was the name given
/ the disease by some physicians. but this
was said to be disproYed by the fact of the
1 young mans parental relations. The case
! was poser for all OF us.
AT last some one suggested that the old
| builet-wOund in the head should lie re-
| examined, and thence a short time ago
| another loose fragment of skull was re-
moved. Shortly afterward another opera
/ ton was performed at the hospital and iu-
cipient cirThnsis was established.
! "As soon as the splinter of bone was
removed the patient began 10 mend. He
took food, gained flesh and to-day he is up
! and riding on dummy.
The fact is he shot himself fifteen
years ago and may yet d of that shot"
Inquiries of DR.. w. Ii. Mays. who at
tended the case IN the hospital, zorro horated
the fact of his critical condition. The To-
| cal irritation caused bv the bullet wound in
the head might be sufficient to account for
! certain OF the curious symptoms, but the
| case WAS stlll in hand aud the doctor was
| emphatic IN saying that the patient was
mot well yet"
Tho young wife Of the "strange
case" said she was very glad to have
| her husband at home again and hoped
| he would not have relapse. She
said the nervous spells were periodical and
she could not account for them otherwise
than by reference to the old pistol-shnt
| wound. They in general were all healthy,
except one little girl. who was very nerY,
Gus.
Unless my husband had the constitution
Of an OK" said she, he would have d ed long
ago after all ne has gone through at the
I hands Of the doctors"
Other medical authorities advanced the
! theory that this was not a case of Iocomotor
| ataXia, but the rarity called progressive loco
! motor ataXia. Instances were adduced 20
| show that splinterS of bone had penetrated
between the brain and skull and there
travelled around for some time innocuously
| Finally IL had struck upon some cerebral
| suag and made its presence known by
| pressing upon some nerve center, which
| communicated the effects through the body
10y the spinal cord. Tie splinter becomes
| encysted but even then the effects are OF
| regular, but vary with the inflammation set
| up. the latter itself varying with the mental
| qu,etude or excitement OF The subject In
| such delicate cases all exciting subjects of
| thought or action are absolutely tabOoed
| and perfect rest ordained.