The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-05-01
AN OCULIST'S MISTAKE
DIR. PROUDFOOT HAS NO EXCUSE FOR
HIS TERRIBLE BLUNDER.
How He Came to Remove Boys Good
Eye, Instead of the had One, and
Left the Youth Sightless.

MONTREAL. Quebec, April 3o.-The
binding of young Thomas Stewart by a
terrible mistake of DR.. Proudfoot in re-
moving a perfect eye instead of an injured
one. has caused tremendous stir in this
city. and messages inquiring into the facts
are arriving from every part of the con-
tinent. The parents of the boy are incon-
solable, and DR.. Proudfoot is almost
equally upset. Ct would willingly give my
own eye" he said to-day, could / restore
the sight of the unfortunate youth"
DR.. Proudfoot described how he came to
attend Thomas Stewart. HE was brought
to me- he said. lat my summer residence
near Valois, on Lake st. Louis. A knife
had slipped and entered the sclerotic coat
of the right eye-not the left. as has been
enormously stated-and passing forward,
cut its way through the iris and cornea.
The boy was at once conveyed to friends
house. and he was driven over TO my house
afterward. / treated him with the object
of saving II possible. the sight of the in
jured eye. but later IL became evident that
the retna was injured and that the sight
could not be restored. After treating the
patient I never saw him again. profession
ally until April IA. The injured eye had
become exceedingly troublesome and In
famed and fears began to be entertained
that the sight of the sound eye might be
affected. Thus II was that i came to be
again sent for. My advice was that the
useless eye should be removed and that 1t
should be replaced by glass one, so that
there should be no danger of the sound eye
becoming diseased.
After giving that advice I did not see
the patient again until Tuesday last. the
day I performed the operation. l. wish 1t
to be distinctly understood that he'was not
in any respect continuously under my treat
ment. and / only consulted at these
intervals. The young man willingly con-
scented that the operation should be per-
formed. anxious that the sight OF his left
eye should be preserved. Arrangements
were accordingly made for the operation.
and / went To his house for the purpose Of
removing the eye, two other doctors accom-
panying me. The patient was asleep in
his room upstairs in mis- parents house An
anesthetic was administered and L removed
the eye. During lhe, operation the patients
posed. 1 believed that all was right. and
went down stairs and told the LADS mother
that the operation had been quite success
full.
II went upstairs, and then, to my amaze
ment and horror, / found out what mis-
take had made. had removed the sound
eye and not the sghtless one. / cannot ac-
count for the mistake l made; ii was sim
ply a fatality. have not single word to
W Wa m on the ssy was
overcast. but the operation Is SO simple and
/ have performed it so often that / could
have done IL in the dark. 1 believe that
since the operation DR.. Butler, we'll
known oculist, has been sent for, and that
his efforts have been directed toward saw
ing the sight Of the injured eye. / am I'M
able TO hold out any hope of success in that
direction The lad Is now about sixteen.
struck suddenly blind in all the vigor and
ond only to that of DEATH
| This Is what in all probability will result
to Thomas Stewart from the terrible mis-
take, and although the victim is bearing up
bravely, he realizes most keenly the posi-
! ton in which he has been placed.
Mr.. Walker. the boys stepfather, detailed
the circumstances connected with the first
injury to the boys eye and DR.; Pr9udfoots
looked on DR.. Proudfoot as a careful and
painstaking man." he said. land as far as
this opinion. After the operation the doctor
expressed himself as much pleased with his
work and made a point Of himself inform
work. 1t was well he returned to see the
patient. that the mistake was discovered
by himself ad He cry be and we a 1sh
we were informed Of the terrible truth The
doctor was greatly affected and we all SYM
Mr. Walker stated that no legal proceed
ings would be taken. Dr. Butler, the most
famous eye specialist in Canada, who is in
daily attendance on the boy, says that he
will be blind for life. He is not suffering,
and of course. every attempt will be made
TO restore or retain the sight of the remain
ing eye, but the strain to which 1t has been
subjected by the operation. coupled with the
original complaint. will result in lifelong
blindness.
DR.. Proudfoot has for some time back
held the position of oculist to the Western
Hospital. Or. Perrig, who is at the head
of that institution, refused to make state
ment in regard to DR.. Proudfoot's connec-
ton with II. He says he had authority
to speak for the governing board, which
will not meet for several months. DR..
Proudfoot is also with the medical staff of
the Montreal General Hospital Woferstan
| Thomas the president, when seen said that
| the matter had not yet come before the
board of managers.