The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-06-28

400KJAw
SPINE
CURED
Novel Operation Saved Boys Life
When All Hope Seemed Futile.
New York Heiaid.)

Details were made known yesterday
of one Of the most delicate operations
for lockjaw in the annals of surgery
and one which has been performed
rarely, if ever, before. It was an oper-
alton that snatched from the edge of
the grave little John McDonough, who
lives with his family at No. SIC Chaun-
cey street, Brooklyn.
When virtually every other hope had
failed. the boys life was saved by the
injection of ~anti-toxin, not into the
BRAIN. as has been heretofore the prac-
tice, but into the spinal cavity. AS
a result the lad who six weeks ago
was living at the point of death is to-
day as well and hearty IS he ever was.
Young McDonough was Playing on
a lot near his home when he tripped
and fell, striking his right leg against
the sharp corne of a rock. He limped
home and told his mother of the acct
dent and n dressed his wound in the
customary homely fashion with salves
and bandages.
No further thought was given to the
case until two weeks later. when the
boy complained of pains in his Shout
der and his throat and said that he
experienced difficulty in breathing
DR.. Frank H. Clark. of No. 1853. Putnam
avenue, was called in and after a care
u ~ NAA"1 NAS ~
showed symtomss of lockjaw.
Scarcely had he been removed to the
Bushwick Central hospital when the
physicians diagnosis proved only too
true The boys Jaws closed like a wise,
his body bent double and he suffered
intense agony Spasms became fire.
quent and food could be administered
only through a tube.
All the ordinary methods of treat
ment proved futile. and it becoming
clear that unless radical action was
taken the lad was doomed. DR.. Clark
decided TO resort to a Measure which
had been occasionally considered by
physicians in cases of lockjaw. but
never successfully applied.
Almost invariably the serum used to
counterfeit the poison in the system OF
the patient had been injected by first
trephining The skull but in many cases
this had caused death, and young Nc
DonOugh's condition was so desperate
that DR.. Clark would not make the vei=-
ture.
Instead he held a consultation with
the staff physicians of the BushWick
Contra hospital and told them of his
plan TO inject the serum into the spinal
cavity. So hazardous was the opera
ton that the utmost secrecy was main
tanned. and ever the boys father did
not know until a day or two ago, hat
means ha dsaved the little fellows life.
When the operation had been decided
upon and AL the preparations had been
made young McDonougn was borne to
the table, writhing in agony. His
body had been bent into such shape
that the liquid food which served as
his only Su~Stenance could not be admin
istered while he lay PROSTATE, n the
doctors had been obliged to hold him
upright and let it trickle through his
teeth.
Chloroform was administered, and
this caused the lads body to relax
and enabled the physicians to proceed
with the operation. He was stretched
upon the table, his body barred and DR..
Clark then injected a hollow needle into
the cavity of the spine. In the curse
of a few minutes a quantity of the spi-
nal fluid was drawn off, n then with
out the removal of the needle the anti
toxin was injected
Thre injections were made and the
result was almost marvellous. Before
the first application of the serum by
this method the body had been in
spasms almost continuously for three
days and nights. After it the SpasmS
were almost intantly reduced to two
an hour for the space o~6~twenty-four
hours, each of about twenty SECONDS
duration.
After the second operation the spasms
were reduced to seven in t~Wenty-fOur
hours, and these of from twelve to fit
teen seconds 1t was also observed
that the fever had diminished to an
appreciate degree. After the third in
lection the SpaSms ceased altogether.
In the meantime the wound in the
leg had shown SYMPTOMS of ppu
ton. 1t was promptly cauterized and
washed and dressed with tincture o.
iodine. Nothing further was lone
and the physicians, hopefully, but fear
fully, awaited the result. To their
qualification the boys jaws slowly I'M
locked and he % a speedy turn for
the better.
Consciousness returned, the boy
was able to take small portions Of
solid food and in the course of two
weeks all danger had passed and he
was we'll OF the way to On
Tuesday last he was finally p%ronounc-
ed entirely cured and was allowed to
go home. Today he is playing with his
boy companions. az we'll as any Of
them.
DR.. Clark was reluctant to discuss
the operation, but, after some pressure,
he was induced to give the details.
which were repeated by the hospital
physicians who aided him. They all
agreed that they had never heard of
any such operation proving successful
in the past, especially in case of Jock
jaw which had advanced so far as that
Of young McDonough.