The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-05-21
r. o. HICKMAN'S CASE.

There Has Eeen n misApprehension % to
the Nature OF His Trouble.
Tho many friends Of State Land Agent
Hickman we're pleased yesterday 10 know
that he had passed safely through the sur
aioal operation that took him to Chicago
and that there wers hopes OF his recovery.
40 10 the nature Of Mr.. Hiokman's trouble
there has been an entire misApprsbension
He was given TO understand while In Cali
forniA, after he had been treated In this
city by DR.. Tfeaoy. that there was second
fracture and also o dislocation. AZ Mr..
Hickman suffered o great deal from pain In
the shoulder, he believed there might be
something In that diagnosis. though his
Helena physician assured him that such
was not the case. Mr.. Hickman told an
INDEPENDENT reporter before going 10 Chi
cnRo that ho had suffered considerably be-
fore the accident from pain in his shoulder.
but that he had accounted for II on the
ground that IL was rheumatism. DIR.
lreaoy has kept careful track Of M. Hick-
mans case while he has been 10 Chicago.
and his information 10 that he was correct
In his diagnosis 10 the effect that there was
no other dislooation or fracture than that
which he had treated. Talking OF the case
yesterday. DIR. Treaoy saidi
II treated Mr.. Hickman for. Q fracture
Of the arm near the shoulder joint, from
which he made q good recovery. He did
not have Q dislooation Of the shoulder. and
the bono was not broken In more than one
place. Two months after the injury Q
swelling made its appssranss in font of
the shoulder joint. that caused him intense
pain. He was informed by q surgeon In
San Francisco that 10 was an unrsduosd
dislooation. Tho swelling Of the shouldsf
became larger and more painful. and MT.
| Hickman decided TO oonsult Dr. benn, OF
Chicago. one Of the most celebrated sur
geons In the world. DR.. ssnn, after care.
iul sxamiuation. wrote me that thsrs
was NOT and never had been Z
disiocation and that the fracture
had been correctly diagnosed and
treated; that he could NOT determine what
the swelling was until he had made q
microscopic examination of the contents.
There has been doubt ss to the true na-
ture of the growth. though sssrooma. q
VERY malignant growth OF q oancerous ma
ture. was suspected by DIR. Sem. DIR.
Graham. surgeon to the Pissbyt tsrian hos
pitsi, Chicago, was called In consultation.
aud confirmed the diagnosis OF ssroomn,
and decided that immediate amputatlon
\ would bs necessary and hoped that ths
trouble would not piocsed further. Nc
| surgeon IN tno nmnuest country toWu ~
Montana would think OF amputatinR an
arm, no matter how badly fractured or dis.
located ID might be-"
ssrcons results very often from injuries
such no Mr.. Hickman suffered. or course
IL must be latent in the system, and th'
pain OF which Mr.. Hickman complained IN
bis shouidst. before the accident and
which he attributsd to rheumatism, was
undoubtedly due 10 the more serious sar-
coma. The fact that DR.. Sem decided
upon amputation 10 proof that there wa'
no fracture or dislocstion. bscauss nc
eminent surgeon would resort TO smpu-
tation In such case. Sarcoua 10 dis
ease Of sueh rapid growth, snce IL has I
start, that sut gsons Immediately ON md
ing they have 1t 10 deal With resort 70 am
putatiou. In Mr.. Hiohman's case th,
growth nrst had ths appearance Of tubsr-
eulsr ahsssss, and had ID proved OF tha
character. Anpusasion would not have beer
necessary.
Mr.. Hlokman's friends will bs pleased I,
know that be 10 under ihs care OF such al
eminent su' gson ss DIR. ssnp, who wa
president OF the Worlds fair congress o
surgeons, and whose book ON she "Prinoi
pies Of surgery" a. we'll a. his hospita
wotk, has given him . world-wids roputs
lian a