San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-12-27
WONDERFUL SURGERY.
Trephining For ApOleXy
Successfully Performed,
THE OPERATION WAS AT
THE POST GRADUATE
HOSPITAL.
Very Little Ether Was Administered
The Patient Being Almost
Totally Paralyzei Re-
lief Was Well Nigh
Instantaneous.

New York, Dec. 2I.-One of the most
notable surgical operations perform
ed recently, and one which may fur
nish a precedent for the treatment OF
appopletic cases in which the pressure
OF clogged blood formed on the brain
may be localized, took place in the
post graduate hospital here. The OPP
Grafton was that of trephanning. The
cutting of hole in the skull of
patient through which the effused
blood, resulting from a stroke of APP
oplexy, was allowed to escape, and it
was performed by one of the visiting
staff of surgeons, local physician,
who lectures and operates at the post
graduate and other hospitals, before
body of clinical students, and doc
tors from all parts Of the country, who
were in New York with a view to
brushing up on the latest develop
ments of work in their profession.
The patient was Henri Chevallier.
French dressmaker, IS years old.
NJ. Chevallier is a man of good physi-
que, not unusually plethoric. and at
the time of the apOpletic stroke, which
occurred on Decembr16, was apparent
ly in good health. Nine. Chevallier
said that her husband had been a we'll
man most of his life and had never
had an attack of apoplexy before and
this one seemed unaccountable.
When Chevallier was seized and. the
family physician had been summoned,
it was seen that he was in a condition
of imminent danger. The surgeon re-
ferred to. an acquaintance of the FAM
lily physician was called in about an
hour after the attack, and discovered
that the patient was fast dying. 1t
was decided 20 perform an operation
as quickly as possible, as that was The
only way to save the patients life.
and to that end he was removed to the
amphitheatre of the post graduate hos
pital. The operation was formed as
Il part of the usual clinic, witnessed
by the physicians attending the school.
The post graduate surgeon sent for
neurologist. of whose services as a
consultant he wanted to make use,
but the latter physician was late in ar
irving, and so the surgeon went ahead
with his work. AS the apopletic at
tack had rendered NJ. Chevallier al
most totally unconscious by paralyz-
ing the nerve centers. the effused
blood having penetrated to all parts
of the brain. very little ether had to
be used. The skull was trephined
and the eliot of blood formed by the
burstingof some of the smaller arteries
in the left side of the head was allow
ed to escape. Some thirty seconds
after the brain pressure which was
killing the patient had been removed.
his pulse and respiration. which had
almost stopped, began to approach the
normal action. From that time he
has steadily improved. Not the
slightest set back has occurred to re-
fleet discredit on the judgment used
in performing the operation and the
surgeon who carried it through looks
for the patients recovery. JUS what
his state of mind and bod, for the rest
of his life will be is D,atter fOl' fu-
ture development.
The operation seems to have been
thoroughly successful, as it was prac-
tically certain that without it the pat
tent would have died in a few hours.
The method of treatment heretofore
used, according to the statement seen
at the hospital last night, has been of
a very conservative character. The
principal thing was to keep the patient
quiet and to provide as FAR as posi-
bic. for his comfort.