The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-05-09
PRINCIPAL WESTON IS BETTER.
His Life Has Been Saved by Surgical
Operation.

Principal George #. Weston of the Man
ual Training High School is at the Whit
marsh Hospital on Jackson street, as
comfortable as a man possibly can be
after undergoing most delicate surgical
operation, upon the success of which his
life depended.
The operation consisted of making an
incision six inches long through the right
wall OF the abdomen and removing from
the orifioe the appendix, which at fire.
quent intervals for the past 20 years had
given MIR. Weston great deal OF trouble
ana pain.
He is a graduate OF Brown University,
class of rs, and in his student days was
one of the crack oarsmen among collie
gisns. In 1876 he pulled in the Varsity
boat at the great intercollegiate race at
Saratoga. That was the last year Harvard
and Yale dared TO risk their regulations
with such field against them. IL was a
three mile straight-away with 13 boats in
the race. The Brown crew met with
some slight mfsnap AT the outset and saw
every boat pass them inside the first our
ter OF mile. But before the finish they
had gone ahead OF seven of them and the
boys from Providence were In sixth place
at the end OF the course. All of which may
seem irrelevant OF the fact that the prin-
cipal OF one of the city's biggest institu-
tions is today a convalescent in santa
rum 20 years after the race. But II isn't
Every man in the Brown buat had to
strain and tug for. all ne was worth and SO
far as Weston was concerned il resulted
In injuring that anatomical nuisance,
the appendix vermiformus. Ever since he
has had trouble and called Ii acute indi-
geation.
I lie had studied the subject of appepdi.
htaf taH fl,.x ~.
Morse that the appendix is only an un-
necessary survival from pre-hisl oric man
which has not yot been entirely obliter-
ated by the evolution and development of
the race; and that IL II was still in
fully developed state in all OF Us
and as dangerous as 1t is supposed
to be there wouldn't be any profita ble
business left except that of the under
taker. But recently when the attacks be-
came more severe and more numerous the
indigestion theory had to be given up
and that OF appendicitis considered. A
very painful attack early in the spring
was relieved by the absorption method,
but this was only temporary.
Two weeks ago last Wednesday Mr.
Weston went to DIR. Whitmarsh's sanitari-
um and two weeks ago yesterday the
operation was performed, with all the
care and skill which the patient of first
class surgeon, surrounded by efficient at
tendsnts, Is privileged to enjoy. Mr..
Weston said yesterday that 1t was the
wisest step he ever took in his life.
The case was most complicated one.
The end OF the appendix was punctured
and globe OF pus had formed. Nature
had done the best she knew how by form
ing little partition of flesh across the
aperture. but the slightest strain would
break this and the inflammation was more
rapid than the process OF healing. The
pus had adhered to the mantle OF the in
testine and that in turn TO the wall, and
was therefore constant menace to the
life OF the patient. When it was removed
the appendix was found TO be about the
81 ze OF G mans little finger, while the
matter surrounding it was more than
could be held in the hand.
Mr.. Weston Is enthusiastic in his ap-
provsl OF the methods by which he has
peon relieved. The incision healed by
first intention, his pulse and temperature
have been normal ever since bis recovery
from the effects OF the an@sthetics and in
another week he expects to be out.
Yesterday he sat up for sthe first time
and when NEws reporter called tho
hospital attendants were outside his door
waiting TO SO in and hear his grapho-
phone.