Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-04-12
HOW GOLDBERG ATE.
TOOK HIS MEALS THROUGH AN IN
clSlON BETWEEN HIS RIBS.

He Had Cancer In His Throat and Conid
Not swsiiow-Was Kept Alive Thirty.
six Days Now the Surgeon Sues His Es-
tate For $4,000.
Morris Goldberg, who YVES known IN
East Oakland, Cal, by some people as the
"Hcrmit OF the Hills" was evidently will
ing To do almost anything 10 save his life.
A portion OF his history was told I'm tho
Oakland superior court recently when DIR.
Dudley TAFT pressed his suit before Judge
Ogden and jury TO recover 80, 200 from
the executors of Goldberg estate for keep
iHg him alive for 39 days.
Testimony was given that II tho Same
operation, with the same rcsults-that Is
10 say, prolonging life for n month or two
had been performed on John w. Mackay,
Coils j.. Huntington or James G.. Fair IL
would have been worth 81, ,000,000 The
evidence In this regard caused great
deal OF surprise, but the physician staid
by the statements and added that 10 would
be worth the sum mentioned To keep any
one Of the mlllionaires alive for 36 days.
Goldberg was an old man OF ~ years and
practically lived alone In n handsome home.
by strict economy he accumulated for
tune of about $3.50, 600. When he was told
that his time had come, he was willing to
do almost anything to prolong his life.
Starvation stared him In the face, for he
could get neither food nor liquid down his
throat on account OF cancer. There
seemed to DC only one way to save his life,
and that was for him to submit 20 the cap
ital operation Of gastrostomy. Tho mod
ern operation had never before been per-
formed in California. Goldberg, however,
tnl. I.s.t
chance to prolong his life. AT that time
money was no object to him, and he would
take the chances OF life or death. Any
thing was better than starving to death.
When the time came for the operation,
an incision ga inches In length was made,
beginning one-quartcr OF an inch to the
left of the mcdian line, parallel TO and ono
inch below the border Of the ribs. AS soon
as the peritoneal cavity was opened the
liver and stomach came into view.
The anterior wall of the stomach was
seized by two fingers, brought outside sur
rounded by stcrilized gauze and held by
an assistant After puncturing the stom-
ach with IA bistoury q rubber catbeter was
introduced and infolded by 81 stitches to
the extent of two inches.
The stomach was returned after insert
ing four silk stitches in its walls The
tube emerged at the upper third of tho
cutaneous incision. A clamp was placed
on the end of the tube to prevent the es-
cape of the contents of the stomach.
The operation proved to be eminently
successful. Goldberg was able to enjoy "A
meal of extraordinary proportions through
his little tube without bothering his mouth
or throat. He had, however, no idea that
before the operation was performed on
him 1t had been tried on dogs.
The evidence showed that the doctor had
taken the prccaution to try the operation
on dogs The latter stood 1t all right and
got their food through tube. The sue
cess of the operation on dogs gave the ply
sician removed confidence.
Goldberg was willing to enjoy his meals
through n rubber tube so long as he had
life. AT the expiration Of the 36 days after
the operation the old man passed away, be-
ing "a victim of pneumonia. Before he
died, however, he neglected to pay his
physician, and that is the reason Of the hot
legal battle in court over his fortune -
San Francisco Chronicle