The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-03-02
NAIL IS EXTRACTED
= FROM BOYS LUNG
Long, Delicate Forceps Put Through
the Windpipe With the
Aid of X-Rays.

NEW YORK, March 2.-One OF the
rarest surgical operations was per-
formed in the Beth Israel hospital.
A brass heaGed nail an inch long.
located with X-rays. was taken from
the lungs OF l2-year-old Jacob Miller.
Jr.. OF No. 40 Essex-st
The boy suffered intense pain for
five weeks and many doctors had
tried in vain TO diagnose his case. His
parents thought he had tuberculosis.
The boy will be playing with his
companions within a day or two, the
doctors at the hospital say, but he
will in the future be careful not to
swallow a nail. Fear that he would
be scolded by his parents caused him
TO conceal the cause OF his violent
coughing. He was near death when
his father took the lad TO the hos
pital. DR.. Francis Huber. in charge
OF the childrens department. after
hearing the history of his case. or
dered an X-ray examination.
Concealed II to the Last.
When the little fellow was on the
operating table the doctor asked him ::
Are you sure, Jacob. that you
didn't swallow a nail while you were
playing with your boy friends"
mo" answered Jacob, Il didn't
swallow any nail.
Sure of that?"
Sure"
The X-rays were turned on the lit
tie sufferers body. A marked infiam-
nation of the right lung, SO great as
to threaten an abscess. was discover
ed. and imbedded in the centre OF the
inflamed area was to be seen the clear
outlines of a nail such as is used In
hanging pictures. The light was
turned off and the little fellow was
taken from the table.
why didn't you tell me that you
swallowed a nail. jacob" asked DR..
Huber.
Il was afraid my father would scold
me" answered the patient.
Ordinarily after the X-ray picture
is taken the physicians depend In
operating upon locating the object to
be removed by means of the picture.
but DR. Huber used a different method
for the first time. He had the boy
taken TO the X-ray room on the
IOulln HUT VI AllC lHoliAuNiOu anu
placed on a small table with the X-ray
tube underneath II. Dr. l. S. Hirsch,
the photographer, took his place in
another room and made ready TO use
the light.
Dividing this room from the room
where the operation was TO be done
was partition of lead two inches
thick, for protection from the intense
rays of the light A small window
was in the partition, and placed In
diagonal position inside this window
was a small mirror. BY means OF this
mirror DR.. Hirsch regulated the cleo
trical current in accordance with Or.
Huber's instructions.
The Operation.
When all was ready the boy was
given an anaestheic and his windpipe
was opened A microscopic screen,
sort of range finder, was placed on
the chest of the boy and by this
means the location of the nail could
he plainly seen. Guided by the shadow
of the X-rays delicate long torceps
was introduced into the windppe and
down into the smaller air tubes. The
shadow of the forceps was seen by
the watchers to advance gradually
and touch the shadow OF the nall. In
less than a second the nail was be-
ing gradually drawn from the boys
lungs and out through the windpipe.
Or. Huber was assisted in the oper-
alton by DR. Solomon Horowitt, the
house physician. A number of mega
tives was made of the operation and
its history will be given TO the Ameri-
can Academy of Medicine.
Since the boy swallowed the nall
his sufferings have been intense. New
or robust, he lost flesh rapidly He
had paroxysms OF coughing which
drove the nail further into the lung.
He suffered Intensely from loss OF
sleep. had fits OF vomiting and failed
rapidly. Within a week afterward he
was withdrawn from the school he
attended and was under the care OF
a doctor
But little Jacob wouldn't tell even
the doctors who were called, what
allied him.