The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-05-31
THE BRAIN LAID BARE.
Paralysis Cured by Risky Opera
ffou

From the san Francisco CAL.
II is not often thar a hairs breadth OF
mans brain Is laid bare and DE lives 90
ten of 10 after. 10 is NOT often that the
Keen edge OF surgeons knife cuts into
q mans thoughts and De sits Up IN bed
experience has happened 90 Robert Rock
wiz and be is able and willing Co say how
it feels 90 have half the SIDE OF IBIS head
olcAeu 10 the outer air.
IL was probably tle most remarkable
operation OF los kind ever performed in
tnls city. II was more than a trephine-
orscshoe-shaped piece OF bone and seven
doctors looked on while g. was done and
pronounced it wonderful
Two years ago Rockville was employed
as shipping clerk in ii. Levy a Co. s.
wholesale grocery house on Market street
lie was well ana strong then, but DE was
suddenly stricken with paralysis ana
within tWenty-four hours was helpless.
Ihis was on The 81 OF January. 1894.
About a week before Che stroke Rock
Wiz was struck on the back OF the neck
with billiard BAN. IL hurt MIN for a
moment, but the pain passed on. Ihrec
days before he was wrestling In friendly
rivalry with friend and he felt some
thing snap in his head. a short, biting
pain. but that too passed away. Then one
morning he woke up delirl0us. and IL was
seen that the left side of the body was
dead.
Thousands OF dollars and months of pa
tient treatment failed 90 do any more
than temporarily allay The disease that had
seized hold OF him, and finally IL was de-
cided TO operate upon him.
IL Is well known to surgeons that pres
sure on the brain, from whatever cause,
VIII bring paralysis. and 1. the paralysis
appears on the left side of the body II is
certain that the right side of the brain IS
indcnted. Therefore II was decided 20
open the patients skull and remove the
cause of the paralytic stroke.
-Four weeks ago Rockville was assisted
on go the operating table in his bedroom.
Every piece of furniture, every curtain
and hanging decoration, every picture eN-
cry rug and every shred OF carpet was re-
moved and the floors and walls We're
scrubbed with nauseous antisepucS until
the room smeled like a hospital and was
pronounced surgicially clean.
DIR. Charles Brigham, who performed
the operation. had decided there was "a
eliot upon the brain. IL might be blood,
it might be anything, but Il was pres
sure Of some sort. From the fact that
the left arm had just become paralyzed
he was of the opinion that the pressure
was TO the right side near the top ana
Just forward of the highest part of the
back of the head. To make sure he de-
cided to open large section OF the brain,
and so, when the patient was fully under
ready with his chisel and his mallet, his
knives ana rhis needles, ana commenced
TO chip al Sc skull around a long curved
line that Stretched from the ear almost
to the crown.
IL was a most dangerous and delicate un-
dertakinE. For an hour the surgeon cllpp-
ed and clipped, Wnlle the assisting uoctpIS
bent forwa I'd with interest In the outcome
Of the work. Then, when the chisefs point
had penetrated to the inner membranes
the semicircle Of bone was bent back on
that portion still attached, and the pulsat-
ing flesh was disclosed just where sac
of fluid had lodged and passed into II.
1t was an hour more before the injury
was corrected, the film of bone bent back
and the shaVen scalp seWed TO Its place.
The arteries laid bare had been closed with
catgut ligatures and every precaution had
been taken to prevent a recurrence OF the
trouble.
! I But the success Of the operation was not
known for some time For three days the
| patient lay weak and half unconscious
! forgetful Of what had happened and care
/ less of what was passing. but at the end
| of that time he raised himself and put
| his left hand-the hand he had not moved
| for two years.tO the side of his head
where the wound panied him
Now he can move arm and leg, where
| before he was powerless He walks with
/ but a slight limp, and the pains which
] for he can feel and move, and he Is. com
/ ing from the valley Of the shadow OF
/ death.
Yesterday he was out for a ride. He
went nearly TO the park and retired early
/ last evening, for such an outing Is tire
/ some for a man who has just found him
| self 1t was a gamblers chance, he said
| an even thing between a living death and
4 death ITSELF with a chance of an existence
/ worth having in the distance, and, as he
/ SAYS he feels like a man-one whose
/ limbs are quick with life, and not hang.
/ ing limp at his side