The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-10-11
VISITORS PRAISE
DR.. YAUGHAN'S FEAT
Foreigners Examine Knee
cap Grated on han.
THE PATIENT SHOWS PROGRESS
DR.. J. ROutfe, of Paris, and DIR.
Presuhn, Of Germany, Delegates To
Recent Convention. Called Mt the
Georgetown University Hospital To
Learn Facts Of Surgical Operation.

That the fame Of the surgical depart
ment OF Georgetown University Hospital.
through some of the recent successful
operations of DIT George Tully Vaughan.
is international was evidenced Saturday
last. when two of the distinguished for
eign delegates Of the United states Mill
tary Surgeons Association called at the
hospital to examine the patient upon
whom DR. Vaughan grated a kneecap
of a dead man.
A short time before the arrival OF the
sihgeons-Dr. Presuhn, OF Germany and
Or. j. Route. of Paris. France-the an
uouncemort of their coming reached the
hospital Immediately upon the receipt
OF the announcement DR.. James Dudley
Morgan. chief OF the hospital staff. called
his corps of assistants, surgeons. ply
sicians. and nurses about him and quietly
told them of the expected visit of the
eminent physicians.
Received by DR.. Vaughan.
Instantly everything was made ready to
receive the visitors. IL was something
past noon when Dr. Vaughan met his
guests al the main entrance Of the hos
piiaL Entering the main corridor OF the
spacious new building recently thrown
open as a gift from a. Lsner and
George NJ Kober. they were met by Sis
ter Pauline. head Of the hospital
DR.. Vaughan escorted his visitors 70 the
fourth floor. where the public ward is
located on the west side At the south
end OF The ward lay the patient Charles
Kelley young man who has been a
cripple all his life.
After tho visitors had looked al the
patient who has been in bed for the
better part OF a year. they were shown
X-ray photographs Of the affected left
limb before the operation was performed
and a week or more after the grating
had been completed. These wonderful
photographs deeply interested the foreign
surgeons. and they commented upon
them.
Following this examination OF the X-ray
pictures Or. Vaughan uncovered the
grated limb and explained I'm detail the
operation as he had performed Il. Every
word Of the surgeon was followed by
the foreign visitors with keen interest.
promptly answered by Or. Vaughan.
DR. Vaughan said the operation had
been performed last January with the
full consent of the patient: that In MAX
ing this new and daring operation in
surgery it had been his hope 10 have
successfully made the grating along the
same principles OF skin grating and 10
have obtained q movable Joint. He told
his guests that after three months
watching and careful dressing the opera
tiUn, FL 50 far as the grating was con-
cerncd. had been a success, but later IL
was found the kneecap would be stiff
and not g natural movable joint as had
st first been hoped.
Knee Sot Movable.
But" explained Dr. Vaughan, while
the operation had been unsuccessful in
obtaining a movable kneecap. the limb
OF the patient had been saved from the
necessity of amputatlon."
The value Of the operation. DR.. Vaughan
said. would have been more successful
had the llneecap grated been in health
Ter condition. While neither OF the for
eign surgeons, nor Dr. Vaughan. gave
expression as to the practical value OF
such an operation in everyday practice,
the opinion seemed 10 prevail between
the foreign surgeons that DR. Vaughans
new operation i'm surgery would be OF
great practical value I'm field service,
where army surgeons could. by DR..
Vaughaus operation. obtain practically
live limbs from soldiers just dead. and
apply those members to the living
seriously wounded thus saving thou
sands shot down on the field OF battle
with mutilated arms and legs from go
ing armless and legless
The foreign surgeons returned 10 their
hotel highly pleased with what they had
been shown after having spent nearly
two hours IN the hospital ward.
Charlie Kelley. the patient. is a native
OF Cleveland, Ohio He Is twenty-five
years old, and a clerk and salesman by
profession. He worked at those callings
IN this city some time before going TO
the hospital for the operation. He Is
small of physique. RE has been in the
hospital now for thirty-eight weeks and
Is doing we'll. with an excellent chance
OF getting about soon.
AT the time the operation was per-
formed last January IL was stated that
q man had died i'm the Georgetown Uni
vcrsity Hospital who had taken a great
fancy % young Kelley. Kelley was then
slated for the amputation OF his left
leg above the knee. due to a diseased
Kncecap. Young Kelley's friend know
ing he was going 10 die said he wished
Kelley had both Of his good legs, and
the patient is reported to have said that
he would DE glad to have one OF them.
This the dying man consented to give
him. This led 20 the suggestion OF graft
ing the kneecap OF the dying man onto
kellcy's diseased limb
This Was tho FIRST time such n daring
idea I'm surgery had ever been attempted.
and Its announcement, while il startled
the surgical. as well rs the lay world,
caused DR. Vaughan no little embar-
rassmeut, as ne did not care 60 have the