The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-01-17

A. Hockey OF Tamaqua, Pa. Nature
was kind to Mr.. Hockey in many re-
spects. She gave him regular features,
as a rule; a good mouth, an almost per-
feet aquiline nose and a we'll shaped
head; but when 1t came to the matter
of cans nature evidently satisfied
grudge. But now Mr.. Hockey is re-
lieved from all Jokes regarding ms ears,
and he can so wherever he pleases with
out attracting undue attention, thanks
to the skill of New York dermatolo-
gist in particular and to facial surgery
in general.
1t Is quite natural for one TO think
that an operations which makes such
decided change in ones appearance,
aside from the nature OF the case itself,
would mot only be very painful but
would consume considerable time. such
an Impression would not be correct,
however, for the operation was not pain
full in the slightest degree, and it was
performed in about an hour.
When Mr.. Hockey seated himself IN
the operating chair the surgeons assist
ant swathed his neck and shoulders
with towels. The surgeon then grasped
the ear between his thumb and niger
and injected a four per cent solution
of cocaine under and around the skim
of the .feshy portion or posterior lobe.
The cocaine deadened all sensation,
rendering each part utterly insenslple
of pain. Then the surgeon made an IN
cision on the lower part of the ear near
the head and another incison about an
inch and a half further up on the ear
Next he deftly cut out a crescent shaped
piece of the skin, the points of the cres-
cent being the two incisions, and then
cut away the skin from the cartilage of
the ear. This enabled him to draw the
edges of the wound together later ON,
thus bringing the ear close to the scalp
and entirely removing the deformity.
During all this time the patient felt no
pain, and was conversing cheerfully
with the surgeon in much the same
manner as one would who is having a
| garment fitted. Another incislon was
made on the scalp just opposite the one
made on the ear and of similar shape,
| The next step was not so pleasant, In
order to make the operation entirely
successful in this particular case IT was
necessary to make an incision into the
cartilage of the ear, because, unless thus
treated, the cartilage sooner or later
would tend to draw the ear back TO its
origina. position,
The cutting finished, the wound was
thoroughly washed with a carbolized
solution. Then came the sewing, which
required eight stitches; very fine bent
surgical needle and No. 10 surgical silk
We're used. The threads We're then Sc
| curely tied and the operation was conn
plete, as far as that ear was concerned
| The other ear was then treated in the
same manner.
The namboyant organs had thus been
transformed into quiet and unassuming
ears, which nestled close to the head
as if for protection instead Of standing
away from it In a manner indicating
| aversion
All that now remained to be done was
the dressing. Next to the head was
placed piece of gauze, saturated with
an an.iseptta solution; then came a
/ strip Of absorbent cotton, and then a
two-inch strip OF gau2e was bound
around the head inorder to keep the ears
In their new position for a few days,
until the raw edges had granulated
Throughout the operation careful at
tention was paid to the antiseptic treat
men of the instruments, which We're
We're frequently Immersed ir an anti
septic solution. These instruments, five
in number, consisted of small dissect-
ing knife a pair OF sctsors, a nesdle, a
pair of -tweezeTs and q thlfnble holder.
The fourth day after the operation the
patient called at the institution, and
three stitches were taken from each ear,
and at the end of ten days all the
stitches had been removed. This was
done without causing the slightest pain
to the patient.
The specialist who performed the ear
operation recently improved the nose
of am actor who was connected with a
travelling company. The operation inn
proved the Thespians appearance TO
such an extent that he was made lead
ing man with an increased salary.