Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1904-01-05
A REMARKABLE CASE.
Drive Ten Penny Nail in His Head
and Still Alive.

and Still alive.
James F. Brockson, labOrer, arri-
we'd in town about month ago, and be-
fore coming here was employed on one
Of the sections of the Nevada Central
For ONE days he was mott
ced by seTeral Of our citizens to act
very strange and would go along with
out speaking word to anyone but
seemed ~ De perfectly harmless. He =,
was also under the influence of liquor !
for few days, and continued so un-
til some Of the citizens took him n
hand as he became in a very weak ,
state, not eating anything, and was
without means Of support 1t was
thought that if he was kept in some
quiet place for a short time he would
improve both in mind and strength. He
was moved to the Jail where he was
made very comfortable, being Finished
with warm he'd and q good fire and
a nurse was hired to attend to his
wants
After being confined there for some
time he would not eat any kind OF
food offered him. 1t was finally noticc1
that his mind was badly deranged and
Or. Pope waited on him and gave him
medicine, thinking that after some
days he would show signs of improve
II ~ ~ Toll 70, two
weeks, and on Monday as his condition
showed no material change for the bet
ter, DR.. Pope, Commissioner Lamaire
and Constable Austin decided to hol1
an examination to advise means Of
what should be done with him. After
questioning him for a short time it
tally derahged. When asked if he sui
fered any pains he would try and lift
his hand to his head. DR.. Pope there.
fore began to make an examination
when finally he felt a small hard sub
stance on top of the head and upon
close investigation it was revealed C
be the head of q nail almost entirely
hidden under the scalp. The doctor
had to use a pair Of plyers to get holt
sof the head and when he pulled it ou
was surprised to see that it was te,
penny wire nail, four inches in length
Brockson had slight recollection G
when he dld it and stated that III
drove the nail in with a small hatch
ct, week ago last Saturday, the mai
being Embedded in his head for near!
nine days.
The nail was driven through IN
scalp and skull in the middle OF tn
head, five inches back Of the base E
the nose. After passing through t.,
skull it went between the two heml
pheres of the brain to the bottom .
what is known to anatomists as tn
great longitudinal fissure which seps
ates the halves of the brain.
The nail not being clean the germ
of inflammation were carried in and e
cited inflammation along the track
the nail Had the nail been driven in:
the brain substance either side of tt
middle line of the head. the resu
might have been quite different. f
one of the vital centers might hay
been struck, death quickly resulting
The operation performed by L
Pope was the removal Of the nail al
trephining out a button of bone with
trephine, which is a simple cylindric
saw with handle placed transverse
like that of a gimlet This permitt
free drainage from the wound with
the skull into which a rubber tn
was placed tc keep the matter fowl
out
1t is said that he made vain
tempt on one other occasion to dri
nail in his head, but he made pc
job of it, and everything was TAX
from him by which he could inju
himself in any way He says that
procured the Ratchet from the Neva
saloon, stating that he secured it hi
self. He sharpened the nail down to
fine point so that he would have
difficulty in driving the nail in ,
head easy.
He was taken to room in the N,
ada hotel where the doctor perform
the operation and Brockson is said
be getting along as we'll as can be
pected, and since the operation
temperature has been normal If
should recover from the operate
which in all probability he will,
will be committed to the asylum
Central Nevadan.