The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-16
MARVELS OF SURGERY.
Guernsey Carpenter Who Follows
the Method of DIR. Lorenzo, of


the Method of DIR. Lorenzo, of
Vienna.
From the London CEng) Evening
News.
Dr.. Lorenz, the famous Vienna sur
geon, with whose name is associated
the "bloodless surgery" which is to
cause a revolution in the treatment OF
hip and bone diseases, has rival.
There is staying in Upper Norwood
Mr.. f. de Putron Rabey, of Guernsey,
a carpenter originally, who seems,
without medical or surgical training
of any kind, to display even more Won
derful skill than that of the Austrian
surgeon.
An operation performed by Mr.. Rabey
at Upper Norwood on Thursday night
was actually witnessed by an Evening
News representative.
The patient was George Thorne, of
Ahbeyfield Road, Rotherhithe, youth
of IS. For six months, when IL years
OF age, he was in Kings College Hos
pital for hip disease. When he left
it was to walk on crutches, with the
left leg four inches shorter than the
other. Several weeks ago Thorne COM
menced preparing for Mr.. Rabey by
applying poultces of olive oil and mus
tard to his hip.
A smallish man, with searching
brown eyes, and a square under Jaw,
Mr.. Rabey came into the lads room,
accompanied by two assistants. There
was a remarkable briskness about all
his movements.
An ordinary table was placed along
side the bed, and the boy was so laid
upon it that the back of his knees
reached exactly to the tables edge.
Meanwhile Mr.. Rabey quietly remov-
ed his left boot.
One assistant wound his arms round
the patients chest to prevent him
rising. In silence the bone-setter
raised the dwarfed member until it was
on a level with his own hips He plac-
ed his stocking foot against the lads
other leg, while his second assistant,
standing directly behind him, seized
the raised one by the ankle. Mr..
Rabeys left hand seemed to be light
ly stroking young Thorne's left hip
bone.
All at once there was a muttered
Now" and both the bone-setter and
the man behind him pulled hard at the
outstretched leg. The body on the
table shivered, and a slight exclama-
ton of pain burst from the boy.
Ouuuttly MI lN1bCJ save "a o"tAN
turn with his wrist; there was a click
faint, but distinct, and he pressed the
patients knee to the table.
The operation had taken three and
a half seconds, to perform, and re-
markable thing had happened. The
leg was from two and one-fourth inches
to two and a half inches longer.
Feeling the strain on the tendon at
the knee, the patient desired strongly
to lift the leg. But MIR. Rabey shook
his head, and commenced binding the
leg to a long wooden splint. He will
be able to walk on Sunday" was his
parting observation.
A later issue of the Evening News
says: The bone setting operation per-
formed by Mr.. E. de Putron Rabey, at
Upper Norwood last Thursday, has thus
the patient to execute a number of
physical feats which he had given up
hope of ever accomplishing.
AS Mr.. Rabey had promised, the
young fellow walked on Sunday, COM
mencing by going up and downstairs
not with the hopping action which had
previously marked his movements, nor
ascending a stair at a time, with the
left leg behind, but in the way of any
ordinary man. At present, of course,
he is not taking great deal of exercise.
But" says Mr.. Rabey, Il hope that in
three or four months he will be able to
walk from five to ten miles at a stretch,
without crutch or stick. l always give
a case a year for the cure to have conf
plete effect"
The boot with a sole four inches thick,
once an essential item in young
Thorne's pedestrial equipment, has al
ready become an encumbrance, and a
new boot with a two-inch sole is being
made.
Before the Guernsey bone-sett took
him in hand, Thorne could bend his left
leg very slightly indeed. Now he can
cross it over his right leg (without hav-
ing to lift it with his hands,, can tuck
his left foot under the chair on which
to show how pliable the hip joint has
becOme-can stoop down and touch the
floor without bending his knees.
"Of course" observed Mr.. Rabey, "he
has to get out of the habit of limping,
while his left side is naturally weak"
The account of Thursdays operation
has already caused twenty people de-
sirous of being treated to apply to Mr..
Rabey, and similar inquiries are reach
ing the Evening News by every post.
One envelope delivered to the bone
setter was addressed Mr.. Rabey,
Bloodless Surgery, Upper Norwood"
while another merely read Hip
Specialist" Upper Norwood
Mr.. Rabey has dealt successfully
with 154 similar cases. Three times he
has failed. but in each instance the
case was one of genuine hip disease. He
is cousin Of Mr.. S. Rabey, a well