The evening times., 1900-03-29
WITH A DIsLoCArED NECK.
a Strange Case That Interests BaIti-
more Physicinns.

BALTIMORE, March 29.-Passengers on
a Carey Street trolley car on Tuesday last
little imagined that one Of their fellow
passengers had a dislocated neck, yet such
was the case. William Gchner eighteea
years Of age. Of Lansdowne, Baltimore
county. was the queer passenger.
Nearly two weeks ago young Gehner was
walking along the top rail Of a fence, when
he fell off and struck on his head. When
he got on his feet again he found that he
could not turn his head. and his chin was
drawn down until his Adams apple was
resting on his chest. He was unable TO
look around without turning his whole
body. There was no improvement noticed
in his condition. and on Monday last he was
taken 10 the Maryland University Hospital.
Members Of the house staff and the visiting
physicians examined him and agreed that
he was suffering with a dislocated neck,
or. in other words. that the ceTvical YER
tebTae were displaced.
Gehner said he could feel a lump in the
back Of his throat. and that was apparent
when the doctors examined through his
open mouth with their fingers. The mus
cles Of the young mans neck are drawn
tense and stand out like cords from the IN
usual pressure put upon hem. They aid
in holding his head rigid so that he is un
able to turn it from sidU to side or back
and forth.
The doctors decided that the trouble in
Gehner's neck is with the fourth anu uIJn
cervical vertebrae, there being seven bones
in the neck portion Of the spinal column.
counting from above downward. II is said
that the fourth vertebra is pushed a little
to the left and the fifth one little 20 the
right. causing a lateral dislocation, while
both are pushed slightly forward.
Ia order to get picture Of the bones as
they rest Ia their unnatural position the
xray was used. AS the hospital apparatus
was out Of order Gehner was taken to the
State Normal School. where Prof william
c. A. Hammel used his x-ray machine
The first time Gehner was taken 10 the
school In the hospital ambulance. The next
day. however. he was taken up in a street
car. accompanied by DR. Arthur J. Ed
wards. Of the hospital staff. He walked
from the car up the steps into the building
and up another flight into Prof. Hemmels
room without assistance. His head was
unsupported except for the tensely drawn
muscles and he walked as would man
with a stin neck.
On account OF the low position OF the
I dislocation and the congested condition of
unable 10 get a satisfactory radiograph Of
he bones OF the spinal column The skull
; Jones showed plainly in one pictIre. and
m the other the upper part OF the chest IS
-evealed in outline. but the space between
is practically a blank. The young man
vas unable. Of course. 10 get his head out
Of tho way Of the X-ray apparatus. He is
unable 10 lie on his back. which is the
usual posture for N-ray photographs. Il
D re .rrrfr1
ting a radiOgraph VIII be made by Prof
Hammel with especially prepared sensi-
tive plates These will be shaped so as TO
i Gt down over the young mans coIIarb0ne
I close 10 his neck, and in this way a good
{ radiograpb OF the displaced bones may be
obtained.
The doctors viii probably try TO replace
/ the bones after the Young mans muscles
! have been relaxed by an anaesthetic- II
may be necessary 10 put large cork in his
I mouth slth which 10 exert pressure on the
bcEys and push them gently back into
place Similar gentle pressure viii be ex-
i erJed on the sides Of the neck Should
! these procedures fail IL may be necessary
4 10 try cutting operation and by remOv-
/ ing portions Of the vertebrae get them into
/ their proper position.
/ Care VIII have 10 be exercised that the
/ dislOcatiou shall not be increased so as to
I cause pressure on the spinal cord and re-
sulting paralysis Of the body below the
4 tislOcatiOn.
This dislO-atiOn from which young Geh-
I ner suffers is different from that brought
. about by hanging man 50 that as il is
said. his neck is broken" In reality this
/. is only the tearing apart Of the two upper
/ yerJebrse- The first one. like a ring. sup
( ports the head and revOlves about a head
like process supported on a neck Of the
/ second yertebra. When the hanging Is well
[ managed the jerk OF the fall tears apart
/ the strong 1igameuts connecting the two
Z bones. pulling the head backward. 50 that
. the projecting head and neck Of the second
bone is thrust forward through the nerve
/ fbres Of the spinal cord. causing instant
. death by paralysis OF the heart and lungs.
/ Lower down in the spinal cord the press
Z ure OF the bones would cause paralysis OF
I movement and other functions of the body
while the lungs and heart might go on
. acting as before.