The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-06-04
WHATPARALYZED HIM
Alleged That Young Rudy Was
Given Cocaine
WHILE EXTRACTING A TOOTH

Doctors Use the Drug Extensively in
Surgery. Thousands OF CasesKnOwn
and 1t Has Never Resulted in Par
alysis.
There has been considerable discussion
over the sickness and death of Farris
Rudy, the 9-year- old son OF Mr. and Mrs.
E. H Rudy, 11O8 North Monroe street,
who died Saturday night
Since the 18th of last December he had
been completely paralyzed He became
IN that condition, or partially SO, soon
after having a tooth extracted and the
impression has prevailed among the
residents of the north side that cocaine
used in the operation was the cause of
the paralysis.
Upon his return home, after having
his tooth drawn, his parents noticed in
distinctness in his speech, and the next
day he grew worse. He retained his
power of speech until the middle of the
following month, when he lost it, and was
unable to regain it up to his death His
condition vibrated between complete par
alysis and complete rigidity of the
muscles
Dr. R. s. Plummer, the attending ply
stefan, was seen by JOURNAL reporter,
but he refused to talk about the case.
DR.. c. B. Lyon, of the firm of Lyon &
Reynolds, who extracted the tooth, talk
ed freely about the matter. He said:
"No cocaine whatever was used in the
drawing of the tooth, and, furthermore.
l did not even make an injection
into the gum. The preparation which
l did use to deaden the pain,
I simply rubbed upon the
gum by means of a piece of cotton. The
pain killer" which we use is used in
every county of the state, and every state
in the union, and in the thousands of
cases where it has been given, have
never heard of one bad effect lex
tracted tooth for the boy three DAYS be-
fore the last one, which was one of his
baby molars, and he suffered no. injuri-
Gus effect whatever. The fact that he
became paralyzed after having his tooth
extracted, was merely a coincidence.
No one can say but what the shock of
having the tooth drawn may have hast
ened the attack, but it did not result
from any chemical used. Had paralysis
resulted from the use of cocaine, he
would have been paralyzed in the chair"
sis cocaine used by the profession
in extraction?'
mot any more. Five years ago it was
and very strong solution, 10 per cent.
was used and, even then, l never knew a
case in which it resulted disastrouslv.
Other preparations have been substituted
on account of the injury cocaine did to
the gums, and not because of any danger
to the patient from the application of the
drug"
Surgeon J. c. McClintock who had
been to see the boy said: 81 remember
thinking at the time that the paralysis
was not caused by cocaine, as l had
heard. 1t was due to some affection of
the spinal cord"
lis cocaine being used much now?"
"Oh, yes; in surgery and by physicians !
and others it is used extensively"
do dentists use it in extraction?"
Very seldom, 1 believe"
I'm the case in question, would the /
boy have been paralyzed Immediately or /
not, had paralysis been the result of the |
use of cocaine?"
FWithin ten minutes"
DR.. Samuel Ashmore, of the north side. |
expressed his views to a reporter. He
did not think that cocaine could have
caused the paralysis. Had it been
caused by cocaine he would have either
died soon or recovered from it He
would not have been aick as long as he
was"