Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-01-11
KEoKuK.
Remarkable Case of Boy With .
Brok en- Back.

Henry Means, the 17-year-old son of
Mr.. and Mrs. Joseph Means, who re-
side in Keok,k, died Sunday morning.
after having been confined to his bed in
an utterly helpless condition for over
five months past, caused by having his
back broken by a fall caused by the
breaking of trapeze rope upon which
he was playing. The last couple of days
he had been failing rapidly and his
death was expected at almost any hour
He was IL years old on the goth day of
last May and his death is sad blow to
his parents
He was a boy of sterling character
and had many friends among the young
people of his own age and the respect
of his elders. a number of his friends
We're with him at the time he was hurt
and they greatly deplore his death.
The accident which caused his death
happened about o'clock on Thurs
day evening, August 3, While he and a
party of boys We're playing III yard at
Sixth and Palean streets. In the yard
was a trapeze which young Means
sprang up to and caught by the cross
bar. He swung forward and as the
trapeze came back one of the ropes
broke, throwing him violently to the
ground. face downward He called TO
the boys to pick him up and they at
first thought that he just said it In fun
III was found that he was injured and
he was taken in the ambulance to his
nome on johnson street where it was
found. by doctors who We're summoned
that his back was broken at the second
dni'sal vertebrate at the bottom of the
neck. The doctors worked a greater
portion of that night trying to reduce
the bones, but failed it being a very
difficult piece of surgery to perform
On the following day, August A, sew
leral surgeons held a consultation and
they decided that the best thing to do
would be to remove a part of the ver-
tebrae in order TO reduce the pressure
This was done and it relieved the boy
Woncerfuliy, but even then it was
thought at that time that he would not
live more than a day or two. Much to
the surprise of nearly every one the
boy commenced getting stronger. He
would eat heartily. sleep soundly. and
would converse freely with his many
friends, who came in daily to see him.
The pressure of the spinal cord
caused paralysis from the chest down
| to the lower extreinities of his body He
was utterly helpless and the members
of the family had to move him when
ever he wished to be moved The in
cislon made by the surgeons when they
operated on him had entirely healed up
and he felt but Very little pain.
Later he wasted away and before his
death vas a veritable living skeleton,
the bones being covered with only a
layer of skin and the muscles having
practically wasted away.
Monday morning the attending
physician. DIR. n. b. Hughes, and the
other surgeons at the early operation.
Drs. Maxwell. Kinnaman and jenkins.
held an autopsy They found that the
Irear arch of the vcrtebrae had been
lcrushed upon the spinal cord which had
shrunken and become disorganized
That the boy should live SO long is one
tof the most remarkable things in med
Iical annals.
To make the case more wonderful.
land 1t was already one of the strangest
in surgical annals, the boy contracted
lspneumania carry in September. This
disease is supposed Co cause the death
cf all patients whose resisting power is
mot up 70 par. Yet young Means With
stood q regular attack of the disease
\ for. a week or IN ore