Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1901-12-19
NOTED LOCKJAW CURES
Two Virulent Cases Healed bv
Antispasmodics.
sEDATIVEs WERE ALSO GIVEN.

DR.. Quin1an of Port Chester, N. v,
Refused to Use the Old Remedies
For the Disease-Case of a Boy So
Serious That Death Was Expected
Now Reported Entirely Well.
In view of the numerous deaths from
lockjaw in Camden and other New Jer-
sey towns. unusual interest has been
the cures effected by a local physician
Of two virulent cases of the disease
without the aid Of tetanus ~antitoxin.
The young physician who treated the
cases expresses his distrust Of the anti
tetanuS serum, and his success has
made many converts to his belief.
Floyd Relyea, n of b patients,
who for nearly three weeks was un-
able to move his jaws, is in the Port
Chester hospital almost completely
recovered n expects to enjoy his
Thanksgiving dinner at his home in
Rye. Sixteen-year-old Joseph Ken
nedy, who for weeks was subject ev-
cry day to violent tetanic spasms,
which arched his body so that it rested
only on his head and heels, is en-
tirely cured and selling papers at his
newsstand beside the Windsor hotel.
DR.. Edward A. Quinlan, who is a
member of the medical board Of the
hospital, in treating his patients used
only sedatives n antispasmodics.
Fol professional reasons the doctor,
who has been practicing in Port Ches-
ter for two years, was reluctant to
speak of the cases, but from other
physicians who were interested in the
matter l learned that the remedies
used were bromide and chlorai by
drate and chloroform when necessary
at times of several spasms, writes a
reporter Of the New York Herald.
Floyd Relyea, who lives in Rye, is
about twenty-eight years old. He was
employed in a bluestone quarry, and
about seven weeks ago, while load
ing a truck, a mass of stone fell on his
right hand, crushing two fingers. Rel
yea bandaged his hand. and as the
injuries rapidly healed he was prepar-
ing to go ack to work. DR.. Quinlan
was called to the mans home in Rye
nearly a month ago and found Relyea
complaining that he was unable to re-
lax his jaws. There was a rightly of
the muscles of the back, chest and
abdomen Of the patient, and the doc
tor at one recognized the symptoms
Of iockjaw.
Relyea was removed to the hospital
on the following day. It was then
tWenty-one days from the time he re- |
celyed his Injuries. and the acute stage
of the disease set in. Tetanic spasms F,
with frequency every day.
There was a spasmodic rigidity of the
body, the trunk being thrown back
ward and the body arcLed upward. It
was impossible to move the mans I
jaws. Owing to a fortunate circUm- !
DR.. Quinlan was able to give
the patient liquid nourishment. Rel
yea wore an upper set of false teeth.
These were removed, and a tube was
inserted into his mouth, through which
was fed.
improvement was noticeable on the
seventeenth day. Heart stimulants
were given whenever that organ show
ed signs of weakness. After careful
and continuous treatment the muscles
began to relax, and the pain and vio-
lence of the spasms decreased. The
jaws opened more and more each day.
Relyea has just begun to eat solid
food, and, while his jaws cannot yet be
opened to their full extent, he is in a
good condition. When l saw him, Rel
yea was walking about his room. 81
in splendid health" he said. 81 a
eat as well as l We did,"
Little Joseph Kennedy's attack Of
was even more severe than
that of Relyea. He was not treated at
the hospital, but at his home in Port
The boy, who is a bright lad,
laughed n~ervously Over his experiences
and seemed thankful for his remark
able recovery.
Il was hurt" said Joseph, while
playing in Jim Roach's yard. I was
wearing a pair Of worn shoes and step
ped on a rusty nail, which went right
through the sole. | didn't think any
thing about 1t, though, and went in
the same day. The hole in
my foot wasn't very deep, but during
the next couple of days my foot began
to swell.
"My jaws were almost locked when
I got up on the morning of the fifth
day. / had pains in my chest, and the
day / was too weak to stand. I
began to get spasms. They started
from my foot and went to my head like
an electric shock. Soon after that
became unconscious"
DR.. Quinlan inserted a rubber eraser
between the boys teeth and in this
way was enabled to sustain his life
with liquid foods. Lawrence Kenne
.y, the boys father, who is a contract
or. was anxious that antitetanuS serum |
be administered, but the doctor re-
fused to adopt that treatment. Joseph
was subject to tetanic spasms so fire.
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