The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-03-04
XRAYS BROUGHT JOY
AuWvle GIRL NEED NOT GO THROUGH
LIFE A MoNSTRoSlTY.


- Hns Three Right Hands-Examins-
t4sn Proves That Two Can BE Removed
sasly and the Arm Reduced In sixc.
He Operation st Present.
The light Of the penetrating x rays
thrown from the Crookes tube is to O
hvtle girl of Long Island City, whose
name am not Mt liberty TO mention, a
Light that gives her assurance she need
not 60 through life monstrosity. Tho
child Is we'll known to the surgeons at
the Polytechnic hospital in East Thirty
fourth street, New York, all of whom
aro deeply interested in her case. She
was first taken to the hospital in 1888,
when she was only years old.
The child was born with an abnormal
~ large right arm and three right
hands Her parents desire to have the
arm reduced to normal size and the su-
perflucus hands removed. The surgeons
believed the operation possible, but
were never able to determine exactly
what the internal conditions Of the arm
were and could not be assured that the
removal of two hands and the superfiu-
Cus flesh and bones Of the arm would
not destroy the nerves and muscles that
would be left and render useless the one
hand that remained.
The x rays permitted the surgeons to
seo clearly all the bones In the arm and
TO know just what cutting would be
necessary.
Dr. George r. Fowler had charge of
tho case. He delegated DIR. s. Ormand
Goldman to have photographs made.
These were made by Frank Martin, an
expert. and were exhibited at hospital
clinic. 1t was then determined that
successful operation was possible and
that the hand aud parts of the arm that
would be left would be almost perfect.
but that possibly the hand would not
DO Gs free in motion as a normal hand.
The surgeons concluded that the opera
tion might be performed at any time
and that nothing would be lost by delay.
The child's parents were consulted.
They said they were satisfied TO know
that a successful operation was possible.
1t will not be performed for the present,
but at any time, when the parents de-
sire. the surgeons will cut away all but
such bone and tissue as are needed in q
perfect arm. and, following the photo
graph us a guide, are confident that
after the operation the girl, instead of
being the monstrosity she now is, will
be only slightly deformed-so slightly
in fact that the defect will be detected |
by the closest scrutiny only.
The girl has been deeply interested in |
the study of her case, and when she was
informed Of the conclusion the surgeons |
had reached she danced with glee.
The report of the case states that the
X ray picture shows that there are iii |
fhe girls right shoulder, arms and hands !
One scapula, two glenoid fossa, two |
humeri, articulating with the glenoid |
fossB OF the scapula; three ulna, two |
radii and three hands, having together |
16 fingers. two of which are rudimen-
tary.
The outer hand is nearer perfect, but !
lacks power in the thumb. One of the |
two elbow joints is slightly in advance
at the other, thereby limiting greatly
the normal hexion and extension, these
movements existing only to slight ex-
tent Each hand moves independently
q the others, and all can move in uni
son- The child has probably three CEN
ters ON the left cerebral hemisphere of
the brain.
asked DR.. Goldman, who prepared
the report ON the case, to explain the
additional nerve centers Of the brain.
He stated that as each finger moved sep
crately and independently each must
have its own center in the brain He
added that it is probable that if the
arm should be cut in two there would
be two arms that would move separate.
ly.-New York Herald.