The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-11-02
LIVES WITH A
BROKEN NECK.
ws 80 y
Case Of Mrs. Buck Is Attract
ing Attention Of Surgeons.
INJURIES REGARDED AS FATAL.
She Rallied Unexpectedly, However, and II
Is Nov Said a StI'isnsd Neck viii Be
The Only Permsusni Result.

MKessport pa. Nov AIRS Richard
Buck Nife Of q wealthy man OF THIS com-
sounits. 8 alive and on ,hc road TO recor-
cry. despite thc fact that hor neck was
broken IN . runaway accident op OCT
IS. Her case Is exciting widespread iu-
tefest among medical men.
Mrs. Buck with her sister-iu-law. went
driving nn The evening ne accident oc-
Cured
ON their way home. Just 49, they were
iurnng IRON TIE White oak Level Boulo-
ward INTO Fifth avenue. their horse shied
az some boys who were serenadmg
newly Weddod couple with tin horns. ria
cans and Other noise-p.oducine instru-
ments- The animal dashed che buggy
into pile OF building material AZ the side
az the avenue aud upset "a Roth the
women were thrown out. Mrs Suck land
ing on a pile OF bricks her head striking
1irsL Her sister-m-Iaw fen on top ot
her and escaped with Tow bruises while
Mrs Bnck was gathered up nsensblc
and carried a. a nearby house
The hospital ambulance was summoned
and both victims OF the accident we're
removed 10 the hospital By the time
they reached there AIRS Buck had re-
gained consciousness She was suffer
ing from coninsiens on the head and
severe scalp wound. and was unable 10
hold her head up.
pr Theodore = Mason was called
into the consultation. and after an eN-
animation discovered that the woman
NECK was broken. The third ccrVical ver-
tebra was completely shattered aud the
break was perfectly clean one There
WAS. however. no pressure os the spinal
cord and not tho slightest trace OF pa.
~ IL 81 IL A.
accident occurred before The serious ma
lure Of the case WAS discovered Tn.
fact that there was no paralysis that the
patti nj WAS conscious and that shc had
walked several steps without support
after being taken from the ambulance.
threw the physicians off the track
When the reai nature of the womans
injuries were determined. INC case wEs
regarded as practically hopeless. Broken
necks and broken hacks are comparative
~ common in the McKeesport hospital
Falls OF slate I'm the coal mines In that
vicinity keep some broken-backed victim
In the institution almost all the time
Occasionally there is recovery I'm the
case OF a broken neck but the broken
neck cases which have received attention
here have all proved fatal within a short
time.
In spite OF the gloomy predictions OF
the physicians. Mrs. Buck rallied and
the morning following the accident was
IN greatly improved condition No
paralysis hsd developed and n ee4sttittt-
fion Of leading physicians was called.
Another examination was made and IL
was decided there was a chance for life
The fight began at once. The patient
was securely strapped To the bed 80 that
the slightest movement would be inn
possible. Special nurses were employed.
the broken vertebrae was forced back
into place and her Improvement from
that moment has been continuous She
suffers no pain now from her iairieS and
is daily gaining strength Or Mason
believes she Will be walking within a
month Ii Is his opinion thar the most
she will ever suffer from her terrible ex-
perience will be from a stiffened neck.