The age-herald., 1901-04-02
REMOVED HIS STOMACH.
Remarkable Operation Performed In
 New York Hospital.

New York, April 1.-The operation of gastrectomy, or removal of the stomach, was performed at the German hospital In Brooklyn today on Jacob Wichman. Though the patient was in poor condi- tion to undergo so severe an operation, he stood 1t rather better than the physi- clans had expected. It Is too early as yet to know whether the operation was sue cessful to the extent of saving MT. Wch- mans life. but the probabilities are that it was The operation was performed by the head surgeon of the hospital, with the assistance of the hospital staff. For reasons of professional delicacy, the &C., count of the operation was furnished to the newspapers with the understanding that the name of the surgeon should not be published.
 The operation was made necessary by the fact that MT. Wichman had cancer of the stomach. He was told that his only chance for life was that he submit to the operation for the removal of the stomach. He consented to the operation. day was appointed for it, but just be- fore the surgeons were to begin their work MT. Wichmans son, who had be- come much excited by the preliminary accounts, made protest. He served writ ten notice on the hospital that his father was feeble-minded and not responsible for himself, and that the operation was for bidden by the next of kin. The hospital felt safe in disregarding this notice, which was not regarded as accurate but 1t was determined to let the matter go rather than have fuss The son later consented to allow the operation to be performed. The following is substantial ly the account of the operation as given by one of those who was present:
 An incision was made in the abdomen ana the stomach was found and brought down into the wound. Qt should be ex- plalned to laymen that the stomach IS well above the abdomen in it's normal position.) Owing to the emaciated and consequently lax condition of the stomach 1t was quite easily brought down. It was found to be diseased in two places This IS not usual Usually cancer of the stom- ach Is found to be in the middle of the organ. In this case 1t was found at the place where the food enters the stomach. and also at the place where the food leaves the stomach. This had confused the symptoms which had been reported by the patient. He had complained of difficulty both in swallowing and in get ting food out of the stomach.
 It was then decided that only complete excision of the stomach afforded chance for the patients recovery. All the blood vessels leading into the stomach were then tied. A clamp was put on the tube connecting the stomach with the intes- tines so that all danger of poisoning from possible leakage of the contents of the fntestines into the organs might be avoid ed. All the connection of the stomach and the other organs, except those which Joined 1t to the intestines and the esoph- agus or swallowing tube, were then sev- cred Those were left to the last. so that the two tubes might not remain open any longer than was necessary. The stomach was tied with strings at each end near the clamps and then cut was made between the strings and the clamps and the stom- ach was taken out entire. The two tubes were then brought together and joined. The end of the esophagus had been un- duly dilated by the efforts of the patient to force food into his stomach, and it was necessary to make it smaller. A housewife would say that we tucked 1t In. The two tubes were sewed together with eighteen stitches and then were wrapped with part of the loose tissue of the peritoneumL This will take hold quickly and should be partly grown to the other parts in a few hours. The or gans were then restored to their normal positions and the wound was closed"
 For time the only nourishment the patient can take will be peptonized con- densed milk, with water and eggs but in time he will be able to digest everything that does not need pepsin for its diges- tion; such things will have to be predi- gested for him more or less. Salt water will also be used to give the system mos- ture, and for the general invigorating eff feet of it's appropriation. It will be sev- eral weeks before the patient will be able to take food through his mouth.