The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-02-13
PECULIAR CASE
OF PARALYSIS
OF An ATHLETE.
Charles Leach Ii st seattle General
Hospital With His Body Below
the Head ImmavabIe While He IL

There iz a most peculiar case % par
alysis az the Seattle General Hospital.
Charles Leach. os Edgswaf-r, aged IL. Il
lying there without feeling In or aSl2TY
Ia move, any part ~ the S1ay except the
bead. stu he "a conscious. be can bsAf.
see smell and talk RE asss 10 affection
ia ts8. head and suffers no pain whatever.
II II & case that will DOUBTLESS interest
ard puzzle many physicians, TOR although
this character OF paralysis IN NOT M
Known IL - very rare. v neither or n0t
any relief car ke afforded Leach, wneTh-
OF ngt his life can be EaSs-s. Is yet =
question. Dr Alfred Raymond who has
the case ia hand. has not yet made a
csgse sngsSa examination 10 form . defiu-
ste opinion. After be shall have made fur
Iber inS6sti cation be VIII call ia other
pas sleaTas for consultation
Leach and biz brother 9ho is q few
years older than he, are athletes. Both
~ them are EiagningeFtiy built young
fellows and they have de.eIoped them
seiveH until they are capable - stumbling
fsats equaling the tricks Of many profes-
stonal performers. So proficient did they
become that they decided 10 go on the
road ana follow their wofk az a business.
For months they have been training ia
preparation for their ru6lic appearance.
They had almost completed their work
and considered themselves sufficiently
adept 10 begin professional career. But
on saturday evening their bright pros
poets were blasted
While tnsy ~.ss going through their
exercises at home tn. younger brother re-
eetvsd bis injury. he VAS b*ndlng over
with the elder brother hss hack and
suddenly he feli forward. th1 foot OF the
o4se Oh tap had slipped - hich threw him
completely over The back Of mis- head
ara neck euried under aud in this bent
position struck tue hard aoor ard he
rolled 0n his back. The fiber brother
turned around and looked al him. wonder
ing what had happened
Il ean't get up said the boy on the
h99r. II cant move"
he vas picked up and carried TO bed
attd Dr. Ray u7onI was called Later on
he was removed 20 the Seattle General
hospital.
There Is probably a sIisloeation Of the
atStA ox seventh cerstca. ysrtshra" said
Dr. Raymond yesterday afternoon 1T
has caused complete iaks ~ motion and
Senss In that part ~ the 5oay Below the
Injury, Including the muscles Of the re-
/ spiratory organs. Breathing Is BY action
Of the diaphragm. which is Involuntary
the nerves supplying 10 come from above
the pofn, OF Injury. The bowels and stoni-
aeh are working. for they, too depend on
tire nerves coming from above the iniurv
The only reason why death was not In
Simultaneous is because the functions Of
TIE organs necessary TO sustain lite are
carried an anconsefously. are fed By
nerves other than spinal Every part OF
the body depending fpr life upon nerves
which originate af thu spine below the
point or injury is wholly iHsensfble An
operation f. absolutely necessary 10 save
Dr Raymond Is rot certain that
leach's life can So saved ia, la viii
make strong sffor, 20 save IL
VIDA, makes this case particularly sad
the daughter hhVe died Within a short
time