The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-02-02
A Notable Surgical Operation.


We printed few days ago an ac-
count Of the wonderful operation per-
formed by Swiss surgeon in the re-
moval of the entire stomach from the
body of living human being and the
successful union of the adjacent parts
of the severed digestive track in q
manner to insure the continuance Of
Its functions. Az equally successful
experiment in the surgical field, and
an even more important one, as it ap-
pears to us, because of its probable
large consequcncein the saving of life
under conditions heretofore regarded
as almost necessarily fatal, and of fire.
enent occurrence, is reported in some
of the New York papers as having
been made in the Post. Graduate Hos
pital in that city about three weeks
ago, when the operation Of trcphining
was performed on patient suffering
from apoplexy.
The patient, Frenchman, SO years
of age, it is stated, was we'll built
man and seemed to have been in good
general health ct the time he was
stricken. He was I'm dying condi-
tion" when he was taken to the hos
pital and no doubt is entertained that
he would have died in few hours at
the farthcst but for the operation to
which he was subjected. The details
of the experiment are meagre, and
consist simply in the statement that
"the skull was trephincd and the clot
os blood formed by the bursting of
some of the arteries on the left side of
the head was allowed to escape" and
that relief from all the alarming symp-
tpms was afforded almost instantly.
THE pulse and respiration approach
ed the normal in less than thirty Sc
conds after the operation" the i'm
provement continued steadily end the
patient sis now on the high road to
recovery under the care of the nurses
at the hospital Every little ether
0as required" it is noted incident
ally, 'as the effused blood had spread
over the brain, paralyzing the nerve
centres.
The operation was performed in the
presence Of number Of physicians
and students at the hospital, by one
OF the visiting staff of surgeons, who
has made the following statement re-
garding it for publication
81 have long been looking for case
in which l could localize the brain
pressure. In this case the paralysis
Of the left arm led me to locate the
clot Of blood at the left side of the
brain. The skull was trephined just
ut the point where the brain pressure
was the greatest, and in this way the
clot Of blood was easily allowed to
escape. In ordinary treatment of apo
plexy this clot is disposed Of in two
ways. a portion goes to create new
brain tissue. Even if any untoward
symptoms should develop the operation
will still not have been in vain. We
have proved that it is possible .c cure
apoplexy by .rephining. as the patient
would have died in short time if the
step had not been taken, AS it is,
this matter will be drawn to the atten-
ton. Of surgical men all over the
world. 1t will be reported in due time
to the Academy Of Medicine, or some
other medical association, as steps are
always taken to allow the medical pro-
fessiop to get the advantage of pro-
gress on the part of any of its mem
'bers. AS far as can find out, treph-
lining for cases of ordinary apoplcxy
has heretofore been unknown. Only
when the skull has been injured has
the operation heretofore been perform
ed, as far as can learn from all the
medical literature on the subject at
my command. There was large
number of interesting points developed
in this operation, but hey were mostly
Of a technical nature and not Of gen
eral interest.
The essential condition of the per-
formancc Of such an operation, it ap-
pears. is the accurate determination
of the spot in, or on, the brain where
the clot has formed and is cxerting its
fatal pressure, and it is for the ex-
perts, of the medical profession TO say
in what proportion Of cases of apo
plexy such determination is now prac
ticable, and what is the promise for
the future regarding it. There has
been a notable advance in this direc-
tion In late years, we believe. For
the present it is enough to be assured
on IKE authority We have quoted chat
it has been proved that sit is possible
TO cure apoplexy, in ordinary cases, z
by the operation he performed The
medical profession will not fail, of
course, to make the most Of the dis
covery, but we may be pardoncd per-
haps for expressing some surprise that
so obvious aud direct q means for re-
lieving condition that has been so
long and so well understood mas not