Omaha daily bee., 1906-07-29
FRIENDS SAVE KlLBY'S LIFE
InterestinE story OF skin GraftinE
on victis of BurAs Comes
from Brooklyn.

months ago was seriously burned about
the body and face. and to prevent him from
being terribly SCARED. a number Of his
relatives and friends have during the last
two months permitted a weil-known Brook
lyn doctor to cut skin from their bodies
and graft II to that Of the victim. The
man who has been lowering between life
and death Is George g. Kilby, = clerk. He
Is 81 years old and lives, with HIS wife.
Harriet. ana his i2-year-old daughter.
Lucia, at SO Gates avenue
Many OF the friends who gave some Of
their skin to patch up Mr. Rlby are menu
bers OF the Hanson Place Baptist church.
So affected by her fathers sad plight was
his young daughter that she insisted on
contributing some Of her skin. Though only
u years old, she bore the pain OF having
the skin cut from her arm with a smile.
frequently remarking TO the doctor and
those who witnessed the operation that
she loved her daddy we'll enough to let hin,
cut from her all the skin that was needed
to cover up his raw and sore body.
On Sunday morning, May g. Mr.. Kilby
went to the bath room, on the second floor
Of his home, TO shave. He put some alcohol
In a small lamp, intending 10 heat water.
When he attempted to light the lamp II
exploded. The Are ignited his clothing
and in a short time he was enveloped IN
| flames. He rushed from the bath room,
screaming for help. Attracted by his
shouts, Mrs. Kilby ran up the basement
stairs. Before she had time to ascend the
stairs to the second floor, where her hus-
band was rushing about like a crazy man,
he leaped and slid down the stairs. When
| he reached the bottom Mrs. Kilby grabbed
| some mats or the floor in the HAN and in
the parlor and wrapped them around her
husband. The blaze was soon extingushed
| but not until Mr.. Kilby had been badly
burned about the body and face. His face
had been seriously burned by the explo-
sion. His worst burns were on the mister
Of the right foot, on the right hand and
arms and all over the right side Of the
| body.
Nearly unconscious from the terrible ex.
perience. Mr.. Kilby had enough presence
Of mind to inform his wife that the bath
room was ablaze She immedia tely hurried
upstairs and found the walls burning. At
taching a small hose to the hydrant, she
| turned the water on. In few minutes the
stream OF water, though rather fine, put
the flames out In the meantime a doctor
who lives nearby. had been sent for. He
did what he could for the suffering mar
and suggested that he be removed to the
hospital The family however. did not ap
prove OF this. Instead they summoned theiI
family physician, DR.. Herbert c. Allen Of
SO4 Clermont avenue. He exerted all hi
skill to relieve Mr.. Kilby's pain. So seri
Gus was his condition for a time, however
II was feared that he would not survive
1t became necessary to secure a trainet
nurse, and Mrs Blanche Snyder acted II
that capacity. Like the doctor, she is I
friend Of the Kilby family. For this rea
son both took particular interest in tn,
case.
Several days after the accident DR.. Allel
decided that in order to save Mr. Kilby'
life and to prevent his being SCARED al
over his body and face it would be neces
Eary 10 patch him up with other people
flesh. When the wife and other relative
learned this they all expressed a willing
ness to let the doctor take some OF thei
flesh. The first to volunteer. was Mrs
Kilby. At different times during the las
few months thirty pieces of skin have bee
cut from her right leg. Ten pieces Of fiesl
were taken from the left arm OF he
daughter. and Mr.. Kilby's father, who is 9
years old, allowed the doctor to cut twent
pieces from her left arm. Mrs. Snyder, IN
nurse. was so affected by the mans SUI
cut thirty pieces OF skin from her RICH
leg. Eighteen pieces were taken from tn
left arm Of Baldwin Ridley, Mr. Kilby'
nephew and Mrs. Ethel Logan, a sister
gave ten pieces toward remaking he
brother.
Others from whom flesh was cut to plac
on the victims body were: Miss Hop
Kilby, twenty pieces OF left arm; Mn
Sherman, twenty pieces on left arm
Thomas Kilby. thirty pieces OF left arm
Frank Davis. twenty pieces, left arm; Nj
Aver, twenty pieces, left arm; Percy El
lott, ten pieces, left arm; Frances Peter
son, ten pieces, left arm; John Peterson
ten pieces, left arm; Alfred Tilley, Perc
Tilley and Alexander Tiliey, each ten piece
of left arm; Mr.. Newman and Mr.. Lawlei
each twenty pieces of left arm; HerbeI
Rowe, ten pieces. left arm; Mrs. Elliso
OF st. Marks avenue, ten pieces, left arm
Mrs. w. McChesney, ten pieces. left arm
Miss Elsie Logan, niece OF Mr.. Kilby,
years old, ten pieces. left arm; Thoma
sandry, ten pieces, left arm, and Mr. Nc
Kee, ten pieces, left arm.
The skin that was cut from each person
arm or leg was only a small particle.
piece measuring about one-quarter OF a
inch in diameter The flesh was cut wit
a pair Of scissors made for the purpose
After DR.. Allen cut a piece from the arr
or leg he placed It in an antiseptic. The
; he placed Il on some raw spot on Mr.. Ki
by's body or face The newly applied nes
was then fixed up in a dry dressing an
kept that way for forty-eiEht hours. A
the end OF that time the piece Of skin ha
become a part OF the burned man.
: 'If the skin had not been grated on NJ
KiIby." Dr. Allen said, his limbs wou
have been useless on account OF the scar
The skin Is elastic and the scars are not"
The doctor said that his patient WI
greatly improved and would live. Not
scar will mar the flesh on his face and /
: will be almost as good in a few months
, he was before the mishap.
1t was learned later that DR.. Allen ali
: put some OF the skin Of his left arm {
) Mr.. Kllbys body. He cut the flesh O
E himself
Altogether "a pieces Of skin were giraffe
on the victims body.
@-~s--------
. EAT AnlTKAEAEN NanA