Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-11-09
Three Quarters of Foot Square Re.
fused TO Heal.
HOW OPERATION WAS DONE

Pig applied externally to a coIored per-
son. This seems like Tying in the face OF
nature. for while colored people Iowa
spare-rbs. and pork-chops. they apply al
little as possible to their exteriors. and
that little is limited to their cheeks, chins,
and ends of noses. and is not gotten on
voluntarily. but only accidentally. in tbs
course OF biting off pieces of the viands.
But this pig was applied in broad day.
light, before a crowd OF intelligent men
and women. by surgeon with the very
highest reputation for brains and skill.
to the side of a colored child.
The almost unpreceds nted act took
place yesterday at the Virginia Hospital.
when DR.. Stuart MCGUIRE gently and
deity placed upon the side of a small
colored girl bits OF pig skin to cover an
area OF about three-quarters of a foot
square. which had lost .ts natural Goa.
by burning.
The deep-brown body and the burn,
which looked like red gelatine. showed
UP brightly against their snow-white sur
roundings-white tiles OF the floor. white
dresses of the nurses. white clothes CT
the assistants, and white panels around
the pit.
PIEskin and Pfucers.
When the ia ole with the child upon Ia
had been wheeled Into che proper iishs
and all OF the spotlessy clean instru-
nents put in place and the wound barred
in Just the right way, DR.. Mcclure pro.
ceeded to take from vessel containing
water bits of pig skin with a pair Of
pincers. and TO lay these bits lightly upon
the part; Of the child which had LOST
their covering
When he called the attention OF the stu
dents to certain Toints in the operation
from time 10 time, Or. Mcclure would
scarcely pause in his work, but gu
straight ahead from detail TO detail with
out the falntest shadow Of slip" Sew.
eral times the child whlmpered not
hurt whmper but one thrown In o
correct thing on such an occasion.
Whats the NATTER" said the surgeon,
want piece OF pig?
Doctor Relates an Incident.
Once ne turned his glance TO the row,
Of students faces to explain the ahsenc9
OF patient who had been scheduled t.
appear in the operating-room.
Gone home to be good for a week DO
fore the pinch" said he. paus!ns a sec
end with Uristed pincers: that reminds
me of man my grandfather used to tel
about who spent the last three days be
fore his death in beautiful exhibitions o.
religious fervor that excited the admira
ton of the whole community. He haa
spent all his life cheating his n2ighbors
and when he died he tried to cheat Thu
Lord
How Held in Place.
BY this time the wound had been SUM
ciently covered. and the surgeon picked
up the strips of antiseptic plaster ana
other across the grated skin until the.
formed a lattice-work across
"Thes,. strips. said he will hold tbs
pig skin In place after we remove III.
cotton banda ees In two or three days
and the openings between the strips Will
allow any foreign matter to run out. e
one half of these pieces OF skin taks
hold" h. continued. "in three. weeks the
child will be well"
After this. bandages OF cotton. soaked
In a salt solution. were laid. upon the
wound over the antiseptic strips Tho
little form of the 1o-yearoid girl was then
lifted clear OF the table. and bands OF
soft material were passed aro"nd her to
hold the barda ees in place. She seemed
very comfortable In the easy wrappngs.
and her expression showed no anxiety
under the gentle touch of the surgeon.
Offer Came Too Lute.
Some lady IN Washington. D. c., was
going to allow the cuticle necessary to
cover the burn to be cut from her per-
son. but her Telegram arrived too late.
and the operation was performed with
the pie skin irstfad-
Probably half OF the bits Of the cuticle
crt from the pig wll not hold to the
cb,,d.s flesh. but this will leave enough to
do the work of healing: for these little
islands will spread out sr"dua'lv over tn.
got which now looks like red ge'attue
until frauv II will shine In all It's form
er brunette beauty.