The Indianapolis journal., 1903-12-13
FORCEPS SEWEO UP IN
DIR. |. B, WASHBURN'S BODY
AND CARRIED TWO YEARS
Indiana Physician a Victim of One
of the Most Remarkable Sur
gical Blunders Known.
DIED AT VALPARAISO
After an Operation Had Been Per-
formed to Relieve Pains in
His Side.
RUSTY FORCEPS FOUND
About Six Inches Long and Had
Been Left Near the Liver Dur
ing Previous Operation.
RUSTY FORCEPS FOUND
,seIaI to the indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal
CHICAGO. Ill, Dec. 12.-Dr. 1. b. Wash
burn. who had practiced medicine at Rens-
seIaer. Ind, for over forty years and was
one Of the most widely known practitioners
in northern Indiana, died in Valparaiso on
Friday at a private hospital conducted by
Dr. David J. Loring. formerly a professor
in the Chicago College of Physicians and
Surgeons.
DR.. Washburn was seventy years of age
and the cause of his death is one Of the most
remarkable known to medical science. For
the past two years he has carried in his
body pair of heavy steel artery 'forceps
which were accidentally left in his body
during an operation which he underwent
two years ago in the Presbyterian Hospital
in Chicago.
1t was the second time in his life that the
aged doctor had been operated upon and
1t was to undo the work of the former oper-
alton two years before that DR.. Wash
burn was placed on the operating table in
the Presbyterian Hospital in Chicago. Dur
ing the progress of the operation a pair of
heavy artery forceps about six inches long
were used in the side just between the lung
and the liver. For some reason DIR.
Christian Fenger. assistant to the consult
ing surgeon at the hospital, forgot the in
struments and they were sewed up in DIR.
washburn's body. Since that time the aged
physician complained of terrible pains in
his side and sought relief of all kinds. but
1t was unavailing.
AMAZING DISCOVERY.
Last Wednesday Dr. Washburn came to
Hammond from Rensselaer, TO attend tine
annual meeting of the Kankakee Valley
Medical Society. He read a paper before
the convention and, after finishing, COM
planned of pains IN his side. He spoke of
his suffering 20 Dr. Loring. who Is president
OF the society, aud the latter attempted
TO diagnose the unusual case. The Val
paraiso doctor induced DR. Washburn, at
the adjournment or the meeting, TO go with
him to Valparaiso. and, with the consent
of the aged doctors son, DIR. 1. washburn,
jr., of Rensselaer,, he was again put on the
operating table in the Loring Private Hos
pital. DIT. Loring himself conducted the
operation, and was amazed to discover pen
etrating the liver pair Of forceps unusual
ly black and heavy with rust. The shock
was too much for Dr. Washburn, and he
died on Friday.
The aged physician was organizer of the
kankakee Valley Medical Association. Two
of his sons are physicians in Rensselaer,
and Goodland. Ind. and his daughter, Miss
Mary Washburn. lives in this city.
DIR. Washburn, OF Rensselaer, said to-day,
as he accompanied the remains of his father
from Valparaiso to this city, that the negli-
gence of the Presbyterian Hospital doctors
undoubtedly caused his fathers death.
LATE DIR. FENGER BLAMED.
The records of the Presbyterian Hospital
show that DR.. Washburn was patient In
that institution on two different occasions.
The last time was Jan. 2, 1902 when ne was
admitted for treatment by DIR. Nicholas
Sem. 1t appears that DIR. Sem was called
away from the city about that date and
was unable to attend DIR. washburn. The
operation on the patient was therefore per-
formed by the late DR.. Christian Fenger
The circumstances OF the operation are not
recalled by the hospital attendants.
MY Ialner KNOWS nOtn1ng or the case,
said DIR. Z. j. Sem. this evening. II knew
from a son OF DIR. Washburn that his father
was in the hospital at the time. but he was
not DIR. Senn's patient. DR.. Sem never
saw the man."
DR.. Karl Doepfner, who was a clerical as
sistant OF DIR. Fenger during the winter of
1S01-2, says that the second time DR.. wash-
burn came to the hospital for treatment
was In January. 1902 He was operated on
by DR.. Fenger Feb. and the doctors found
IAN obliterating Inflammation OF the bile
ducts. for which nothing could be done. Dr.
Washburn left the hospital on the 18th
OF February in an unimproved condition"
DR.. DoeDfner stated that the instrument
found must have been left in the body at
one of the two operations, but he says that
as the doctor was suffering from a trouble
that no operation could improve there was
no proof that il was the presence OF the
instrument that caused his death.
Dr. John Irwin the inferno who at
tended the second operation. He has gone
West and his whereabouts are unknown
DIR. Wiley, the interne at the first opera
tion by DIR. Fenger May Z. 1900, is also In
the West somewhere.