New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-03
ALIVE WITHOUT A STOMACH.
A REMARKABLE SURGICAL OPERATION
UPON A WOMAN
DIR. c. b. BRIGHAM. OF SAN FRANCISCO. REPEATS
WITH SUCCESS DIR. SCHLATTER'S EXPERT
MENT-AN EFFECTUAL BUT RADI-
CAL WAY TO GET RID
OF A CANCER.

printed in this country the story or WOn1
derfu surgical operation performed in Zurich
Switzerland, by DIR. Carl Schlatter. In order to
relieve a patient who was suffering from can
Ger of the stomach this ingenious and daring
surgeon decided to remove the stomach itseo
and to connect the Psophagus with the inte9-
final canal in such a way as to bridge the gap.
and thus TO permit continuance Of the diSes-
tive and nutritivc processes.
Since that time at least two attempts have
been made in the United States to repeat the ex-
pertinent. The first. undertaken in Milwaukee
last January. proved unsuccessful, the patient
expiring four hours after the operation. The
second made by DR. Charles Brooks Brigham, OK
san Francisco. resulted in the most gratifying
manner. A detailed report Of this last case has
recently been printed. and supplies much infor-
nation not contained in the brief dispatch which
appeared in The Tribunes columns at the time
Or. Brgham's patient. Mrs. Lora Maggini,
was sxty-six years old. and except in one respect
was "A remarkably healthy woman when, last
February she consulted him For nearly year
she had suffered a good deal OF pain in the
stomach. and the doctor very quickly decided
that she the victim Of cancer. He then adj
viscd an operation and the patient consented,
although 10 this day she does not know the eS-
act character Of it, She Is still unaware that
she is minus stomach
/ An incision seven inches long having been
made 10 expose the stomach. the surgeon began
his task by gently detaching and tying back out
Of the way a number Of delicate membranes that
adhered to the organ. His next step was to put
a ligatIre around the intestine just below tho
stomach. to separate the two. and to affix
clamp to the FIRE. end Of the former. SO that he
could find it again when he wanted 1t. This ex-
] keel %
while he was otherwise occupied
/ The extent Of the cancer made it quite clear TO
him that removal Of the entire stomach would
bc necessary. but before proceeding further Dr.
| brigham cautiously drew the intestine up far
enough 10 soc that it would make the proposed
connection without undue stretching The
rsophagus was then camped and severed from
| the upper end Of the stomach. The latter, be-
/ ing completely detached rom everything, vas
now taken out without delay.
| The work Of splicing together the tube By
which food ordinarily enters this organ and
that by which it leaves was now begun. Dr.
Schlatter had resorted To sewing or suturing,
| for ills purpose, but such proceeding requires
time And Or. Brigham found that Mrs. Mag
ginis strength not keeping up as well as It
might. Her pulse was growing feeble. lie de-
cided therefore to employ device known as
"Murphy's button" This is "A tubular object IN
two parts which can be clasped together one
half IL attached To one end Of an intestine or
other canal and the other half to the end OF an
other The two then drawn toward each
other and fastened somewhat as one would but
| ton a glove The withdrawal of lot OF iodo-
form gauze introduced at the beginning OF the
operation for antseptic purposes and the sew
ing up Of the wound n the outer flesh, COM
pletcd the operation. The patient had been Kept
under the influence of chioroform and ether for
two hours and a quarter. The loss of blood did
not exceed two ounces.
The patients recovery was slow but sure from
the FIRST thus testifying TO the thoroughness OK
the precautions taken to avert unfortunate COM
plications Mrs Maggn was restless and slept
only little for the first few days. and she eXpe-
rienccd intense thirst for time, but there was
practically no real pain Twenty-four hours
after the operation small doses Of hot water
were given To relieve thirst day later cotfee
and chicken broth were administered in similar
quantities ON the third day whiskey and raw
egg were added to her potions. For thirteen
DAYS the patients strength was sustained par
tally bv cnemas but her food was all taken in
the natural way thereafter. Three weeks IRON
the time she was operated upon she ate small
oysters minced chicken, soft-boiled eggs ana
shortly aftcrward "A squad. Within the fourth
week she actually gained five pounds in weight
ONLY a fortnight more clapse,' before she was
sitting out on the piazza of the hospital, reading
the newspapers with Zest. walking without as
sistance and better of than at any time for
many months.
The demonstration 10y Drs Schlatter and Brig
ham that the stomach may he removed from