Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1896-12-20

His Instruments to Enlarge the
Chnd's Cranium-Never Attempt
ed Before-FamOus Surgeons As
sembled to see the Experiment.
Weeks Must Elapse Before Its
Result is Positively known.
New York. December ia surgical
operation. both novel and daring, was
performed upon little eleyen-year-old
Sarah James on Thursday. The child's
skull was cut nearly in half, so that It's
clamped brain might have room 10
grow.
At the time Of its birth the baby
seemed as bright and intelligent as
most babies. For months nothing IN
usual was noticed. II learned TO walk
NJ the same age that most children do,
and its lisped utterances betrayed no
sign that anything was wrong with the
brain that prompted them.
As the child grew older its parents
noticed that IL did not learn so readily
as other children Of the same age. They
did not regard this as a permanent
trait and consOled themselves with the
assurance that the child was back
ward But as years passed and the
child failed TO develop Intellectually,
the belief was forced upon them that
their offspring was an idiot. A ply
stefan was called in. but he could do
nothing. and the little one lived at
home kept from school, because its
weak brain was unable to retain any
of the facts impaired by the teacher.
The physician who had been called
TO examine the child, thought he could
do nothing TO aid it, noticed what had
been overlooked by the parents. This
was that the child's head had not kept
pace in growth with the body, but was
as small as it had been a few months
after birth.
The case seemed to be a remarkable
one TO him, and he spoke Of it TO Dr..
John A. Wyeth, president of the New
York Polytechnic. The latter was great
ly interested and was taken to see the
child. and at once pronounced it a con-
genial idiot. Then he told the parents
that if they would allow him he would
perform an operation which he beliey-
ed would give the child full control Of
all its senses and make it as bright as
any other
SKULL TOO SMALL.
The trouble with the little girl, he
explained, was due to the fact that the
skull had not sufficiently increased in
size to give the brain room for eXpan-
sion. He told of operations performed
in London by which the sutures in the
skulls Of several persons had been
opened when they were found to have
grown together.
The operation DR.. Wyeth wanted to
perform was not like theirs. Instead Of
opening the sutures of the skull he want
ed 10 cut through the top Of the skull.
After much argument he received the re-
CURED permission, and on Wednesday the
child was taken TO the Polytechnic to be
prepared for the ordeal.
DR.. Wyeth was assisted in the operation
by Dr. Bodine.
After the child had been put under the
influence of anaesthetics the scalp was cut
over the crown of the skull from the top Of
one ear to the top of the other. The scalp
was then drawn back and the bare bone
exposed. As a preliminary TO the intended
work the operation of trephining was per-
formed at a point about three inches above
the right ear. Then in the small hole thus
formed Dr. Wyeth inserted the tongue Of
the peculiar instrument with which he
worked. This is known 10 surgeons as
"Dr. Wyeth's bone foreceps." and was
invented by him. With this instrument
which resembles somewhat q pair of wire
pliers. the bone was broken away until q
hole had been cut in the skull one and one
half inches wide and extending from the
point where the trephining had been per-
formed to a corresponding point above the
left ear
DURING THE OPERATION
the greatest care was necessary TO avoid
tearing the tissues covering the brain.
The work was accomplished success flllv.
the wound washed with antiseptics and
the scalp drawn back TO its original posi-
ton and sewed together. Al present the
operation promises to he an entire sue
cess. The child has recovered from the
shock of the operation. and is stronger
than the surgeons thought it possible she
would be.
The cutting Of the skull over the brain
instead Of at-the sutures is an idea original
with DR.. Wyeth. who believes that while
there Is no healing point establishable at
the sutures such would not be the case
in a fresh cut in the main portion Of the
skull. He believes that at that point the
bone has the power OF regeneration and
that new plates viii grow. SO far the
operation has been a wonderful success.
and a few weeks viii show whether It will
give the child renewed intelligence.