The Wichita daily eagle., 1901-03-06
EN|FE WASN'T USED
Woman Mends Broken Back
Without Cutting
RELATIVE OF BEECHERS
Was the Lucky Man Treated
by Elizabeth Edmonston.
RELATIVE OF BEECHERS

Dr. Elizabeth Edmonston, associate
physician Of the Woman's Medical col
lege of New York and staff physician
Of the hospital, has to her credit the
mending Of a broken back without the
use Of the knife, the only case on record.
and the account makes a story which
seems almost too remarkable TO be true.
In August, 1898, while on professional
trip to Hiusboro, Ohio, the doctor was
requested by Mrs. George Beecher,a rela-
tive Of Henry Ward Beecher. to go to see
a poor young coIored woman, g former
servant of Mrs Beeeher The ne
gress, who was widow, lived in a lit
tie log cabin on the hill at the edge Of
town. and had been in the almshouse for
TWO years under medical treatment for
what the doctors diagnosed as 'tuber-
culosis Of the spine" She had been seen
by many other physicians, who pro
nounced her case ineuraole. They wanted
her to enter a hospital for surgical treat
ment and experiment
The nesress feared the knife, and said
since they couldn't promise TO cure her
they shouldn't put her on the table and
cut her up
DR.. Edmonston fond the patient sitting
with her left arm under her head on the
izoning board and ironing with her right
hand. The doctor said: "Clem, what's
the matter?'
Looking up, the woman answered: Il
doan know; they say I got something
the matter with my back that KANT be
cured. Do you think you can help me?"
The doctor requested the mother to IN
dress the patient and passing her hand
over the back found a protrusion at the
eleventh dOrsal yertebra, commonly
known as broken back. She was told
that over two years before this girl,
who was very tall and slender, attempted
to pick up two pals of water, one in each
hand, when she felt something in her
back snap dropped the pals and be-
came helpless in her lower limbs, and
from that time on was unable to stand
erect or to lie on her back, only side
wise. bolstered up.
Her legs were numb, and when sitting
she was obliged TO lean over, support
ing herself on the table or chair in front
of her.
After months of suffering ana expert
mnt the girl and her friends felt thrre
was no help for her, and two little father
less children clinging to their crippled
mothers skirts as their only means Of
support, made a most pathetic picure.
The doctor at once set about to rig up
Svre's apparatus for extension, and as
soon as the necessary materials and FIX
lures arrived started to repair the broken
back Adjusting the straps under the pa
tents arms she slowly and carefully
raised her to her toes, extending the
spinal column. making meanwhile the
proper manipulation to restore the mis-
placed vertebra TO its normal position
When this was accomplished, and while
the woman was in position, the doctor
incased her in a plaster Of paris jacket,
being careful to build it up to afford
proper support under the arms for the
upper part of the body
After the plaster was properly dried the
rope was gradually slackened, letting the
patient down on her feet, and to the doc
tors great delight, as she removed the
straps. the woman looked in her face
with eyes wide open with amazement and
said: GLORY TO God. I kin stand!" And
"kin 7 lay down and walk, too? she
asked. Finding she could, her joy was
great
The doctors work was finished just at
sunaown, and as night fell the darkey
left the cabin and went along the road
among the cabins in the hills shouting:
"Glory to God, Tse cured. Use cured'
And from the other huts came men and
women, joining the procession, until
crowd Of dark figures stood together un-
der the stars and shouted their song Of
thanksgiving: Glory 10 God! Halielu-
iahr'