Evening star., 1895-08-03
BONE GRAFTING.
A Portion of a Boys Leg Replaced by
That of a Sheep.

Portion of a Boys Leg Replaced by
That of n Sheep.
From the New York World.
About five months ago Boyd FolweI, a
lad fifteen years of age, living at 18th and
Wylie streets. in Philadelphia, was play
ing on the street with number Of boys,
when he struck his shin. He gave little
thought to the injury at the time, but
few days afterward he complained of vio-
lent pains in the region of the bruise.
Simple remedies were applied by his
parents. but met with no success. This
gave rise to the feeling that the boy was
suffering from rheumatism.
A careful examination disclosed the fact
that an abcess. lue to an injury to the
bone. had formed. producing what is known
to the medical fraternity as osteomyelitis.
This became worse and defied all treat
ment and eventually turned into necrosis,
or gangrene of the bone.
1t was found that the leg was very much
swollen. and seven small openings dis
charging pus all of which led to dead bone.
The lad was taken to the hospital, and on
June 25 an operation was PERFORMED.
krown as necrotomy (scraping and remov-
ing dead bones).
The wound was then dressed with anti
septic bandages and left undisturbed for
week, when the flesh was found to be in
good condition, but the bone was still de-
caying beyond all hopes of being healed.
The fact that the lower end of the tibia
was In good condition led DR.. Vischer to
believe that perhaps the leg might possibly
be saved by bone-grafting, especially as
the boys condition had SO much improved
since his admission into the hospital. The
parents We're consulted, and, upon being
assured that there was absolutely no other
way in which the leg had even chance of
being saved, they gave their full consent
to the doctor to do as he thought best
A consultation with the highest surgical
authorities had impressed DR.. Eischer with
the diseased portion of the bone and insert
in its place piece of bone taken from the
leg of a healthy sheep.
Following out this theory. the physician
secured large. healthy sheep, which for
two days was put upon diet, so as to
make doubiy sure of its healthy condition
The boy was also subjected to a rigid diet,
and the day before the operation the
Sleeps leg was shaven and put in antisep-
tic dressings.
The lad was anaesthetized and placed
upon the table. Then DR.. Yischer opened
the lads shin from about four inches be-
low the knee down to the ankle Joint He
removed an inch and a half Of decayed
bone and cut out seven and half inches
CT bone down to the ankle joint. The cav
ity was washed out and prepared for the
new bone.
The sheep in the meantime had been
chlorcformed and the dressing taken of
tho HlHO IeE. Ip1S zone, Dr. E1Scher cut
out the humerus. and then. preparing 1t,
began to shape 1t for the lads leg. The ut
most care was taken that the bone re-
moved from the sheep should retain the
perfosteum, for without that the operation
could not possibly be successful,
The bone taken from the sheep was then
placed in the cavity formed by the removal
OF the diseased bone. the muscles forming
a floor upon which the new bone was laid,
thus helping to support 1t.
The ends OF the new bone were cut
straight acr, ss and made a perfect Joint.
An incision of about five inches was then
made in the back of the boys leg SO as to
allow the operating surgeon to bring to-
gether the flesh on the top of the leg,
where 1t y as then sewn up
The wounds were dressed and the boy's
leg was put in sling and so fastened as to
prevent the slightest Jar or movement
which would in any way tend to shift the
new bone from its bed. This having been
done, attention was turned to the sheep.
Its throat was cut, and, while under the
influence of chloroform, it was allowed to
bleed to death. During the whole opera
ton. which only lasted forty-five minutes.
the sheep suffered absolutely no pain.
For nine days the dressing OF the boys
leg was left undisturbed. and then. upon
examination. the wounds were found to be
was delighted with the results thus far
obtained. and. as the boys appetite was
greatly increased, and his physical condi-
tion improved. he was led to believe that
grating operation gave every indication Of
success.
A dressing was then left undisturbed for
another five days. and. upon examin alton.
the condition was found to be more favor
able than at the first exposure. The joint
near the ankle, which was the one DR.,
Vischer was the most dubious about, was
In such condition as to justify his belief
that the operation was success
He again washed and dressed the limb in
antiseptic dressings, and left it undisturbed
for forty-eight hours. when the condition
of the leg was still more encouragin and
ten days ago another examination showed
that there was every prospect of the opera
ton being successful.
Bone-graftir is not a new operation, but
it has usually been accomplished by taking
a bone from freshly slaughtered animal
ard decalcifying it by removing mineral
matter from the bone. The bone is then
Clipped UP, and. being prepared, is packed
tightly int the place of the removed bone
and the ligatures removed. the blood then
flowing In and forming in clots around the
bone. makirg callous joints.