The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-12-25

NEW YORK. Dec. 24,-The Medical
Record will tomorrow publish the fol-
lowing account of the first successful
removal OF a human stomach
The feat in itself is the most brilliant
and daring ever attempted in recent
medical history, but the attendant dis
covery that the stomach Is not vital
organ, Is even more important. HIth-
erto it has been considered utterly I'M
possible for person to live without
stomach. With the fall OF this long
recognized axiom the old theories OF
medicine and surgery may be entirely
changed and the field OF possibilities
which the discovery opens up IL prac-
ttcaiiy Hmitiess.
The operation which has 20 startled
the medical world was performed In
Zurich, Switzerland, by DR.. Carl Schlat-
ter on September . last. The subject
was Anna Lands, &C years old and
silk weaver. This woman had COM
plained for years OF stomach trouble.
DR. sehlatteF diagnosed the case and
found that she was suffering from an
exceptionally large oval tumor in her
stomach. Laparotomy was performed,
and Dr. Schlatter found that the wo-
mans entire stomach presented u hard
mass. And then this daring operator,
seeing that the orgJin was useless, went
20 work and freed Il from its delicate
Attachments, cutting, twisting and
eiampins among the most vital organs
with the coolness and deliberation Of an
expert dentist drawing q hard tooth.
Tic technical details OF the operation
can only be appreciated by members OF
the medical profession. When Dr.
Schlattor had exclsed the entire stom-
ach he firmly united small coil OF In
testlnes TO the oesophagus, thus max
ing direct connection between the ali-
mentary canal and the bowels. The
work OF joining the lntestlnes and the
oesophnEus was most delicate. They
We're bound together with sutures. The
organs were allowed to drop back into
their positions. the abdominal wound
was sewed up and all there was to
show that Anna Lands had lost her
stomach was n slight retraction toward
the diaphragm. The operation lasted
nearly two hours and half. The loss
of blood was slight
The period following proved that the
sterilization had been perfect ami the
operation wonderfully performed The
patient, although old and feeble, eXhib-
ted but few Of the serious symptoms
that usually follow vital operation.
Minute quantities OF liquid food we're
given to her at short intervals. with
the exception OF occasional vomiting
this food aeemed TO be assimllated, de-
spite the absence Of food receptacle.
In the second week after the operation
she was given solid food. II was re-
talned and llgested without discomfort.
And even Dr.. Schlatter himself mar
veled at the almost unexpected success
~ his bold work. lie was handicapped
in giving the patient solid food because
she had only one tooth left in her head.
"On October II. month and five days
after the rtomaCh had been removed.
Anna Laudis ler! her bed, BY Noyem-
her 70 she was feeling perfectly well and
was walking about. Her weight IN
creased and apparently she was In far
better health than before the operation.
"Dr. Edmund Charles Wendt, OF New
York city, tho correspondent OF the
Medical Record. who obtained DIR,
Schutters personal account Of the feat,
states that on the 9th Of this month
he saw Anna Lands, and that to all In
tents and purposes she was well wo-
man. She Ia still under observation. AZ
the Zurich county hospital, but is able
10 DO her full share OF work In the
wards. She has had many medical via.
ilorE from all quarters OF tho globe, and
by this time has grown quite proud OF
hcr depleted body.
"Dr Wednt concludes from tho sue
Cessiu removal OF this stomach mat
tho human stomach ls not vital organ
iha, tho dlCesuye capacity OF the gtnm-
tch has been considerably ovcrrated;
that n gain In weight may takcp lace
despite the absence Of gnctrlc activity;
ihat vomiting may occur without
stomach, and that the chemical func-
uprr Of the human stomach can De
satisfactorily performed by the other
divisions OF the allmontary canal"