Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1895-03-02
PART OF HIS SPINE REMOVED.


A Man Living After Undergoing an
Unparalleled Operation.
Charles Allen, Of Sacramento. is tho
only man, so far as the medical authori.
ties testify, who, after having part OF
his spine removed, not only survives to
relate his experience, but lives to enjoy
a renewal Of the health he lost when he
fell and broke his back. The remarka-
bic operation was performed by local
surgeon. 1t was q daring one, some of
the old practitioners might call 1t a
foolhardy one, but 1t was successful
and success needs no apology.
The operation upon Allen Is without
parallel in many respects. There arc
many known cases where parts Of the
vertebrae have been successfully re.
moved, but, according to the San Fran.
cisco Chronicle. the physician who op.
Grated upon Allen says he never saw,
never heard of. nor never read Of an OPP
Grafton similar to the one which has re-
stored Allen to health. About ten years
ago, Allen, while working as a brake.
man, slipped from the frosty roof of q
box car and fell, In a sitting posture.
astridc rail. As direct result his
legs were paralyzcd and gradually they
began to waste away. Any attempt to
straighten out his legs caused the SUI.
fercr intense agony. From the time Of
the accident until relief was afforded by
the surgeons knife the sufferer was not
free from pain single minute, day or
night. The fracture was from the sec.
ond lumbar vcrtebrae down through
the sacrum and coccyx. The result
was a pathological growth In these
bones, causing an enlargement nine
inches long and seven inches wide.
This protruded fully two inches from
the level of the back to the apex Of the
swelling and presented formation not
unlike Il huge tumor. 1t was under
these conditions that Dr. II. q. McGill
undertook the case. Finding that all
ordinary methods Of treatment failed
to restore the use of his legs to the pa
tient or to give him freedom from pain
It became evident that only In the most
heroic and delicate surgical treatment
was there any hope OF ahording tue
sufferer the relief he sought.
When this fact was presented to the
patient, he only too readily acqutesced
In DR.. McGill's opinion. insisting In FAC
that the danger Of the operation mus
not interfere with its undertaking. Ap
preciatlng the gravity Of the case. Or
NrcGill called upon his brother. DR.. A
B. McGill, and DR.. Campbell Ford. t
assist In the operation, which was per
formed rs follows:
After careful preparation the patlen
was placed under the influence Of chic
reform and an incision was made ut
point commencing two inches above tn
hip bones, the knife being carried down
ward to the end of the backbone. Tn
skin and muscles were held out Of tn
way by fOrceps. The arches Of tn
three lower lumbar vertebrate were the
removed, which brought the end Of tn
spinal cord itself into the wound. TIL
back plate of the sacrum was then n
moved for the space of about tw
inches. The remains Of the sacrum an
coccyy were then entirely cut out. Til
delicacy Of the operation necessary !
the removal of such a quantity OF vita
bone tissue may be better understood
when 1t Is explained that the removs
) caused the whole lower !ntestlnes
bulge out through the wound.
Not the least difficult part Of the SUI
gerry was the dressing of the woun'
The peritOneum was first scwed up an
the wound packed with antlseptl
gauze. Then the muscles and ski
were stitched. after which prope
dressing was applied and the patler
placed In bed. The operation, all tol'
occupied about two hours. Tho pi
: tient recovered from the shock NIGEL!
Five days later the dressing was r.
moved for the first time. 1t was foun
that the wound had healed by first II
tention.
A remarkable feature Of the case
] the rapid convalescence Of the patien
Three weeks after the operation ALE
was able to proceed to his home In Sa'
ramcnto. accompanied only by his vii
and assisted by pair OF crutche
Since his departure few days ago b
has written that he Is gaining In tiesl
and that, with light exercise, his limt
are becoming more supple daily. II
SAYS that he Is entirely free from pal
and hopes In times to so far recover
!. to attend to his business, that OF u tral
dispatcher, with the aid Of cane I
other light support. DR.. McGNl o
presses himself as hopeful Of the ul'
mate success Of the operation. but b
lieves 1t will be necessary for Allen.
use q leather corset, plaster cast
other coutrivance In order that Il
!, great q strain may not be placed upt
the weakened portion Of his anatom