The Washington herald., 1910-04-04

Details of a wonderful operation per-
formed by Or. George fully Vaughan al
Georgetown University Hospital more
than two weeks ago did not become
known among friends Of the surgeon IN
til yesterday. when 1t was described by a
student who witnessed it.
The operation has been performed on
two patients at Georgetown University
Hospital. and both were unsuccessful,
the patients dying despite the most heroic
efforts OF physicians TO keep the spark
OF life aglow.
Archer Christian, the University of
Virginia football player who was injured
in a game with Georgetown University
on the latter's field on last Thanksgiving
Day. died a few hours after the opera
ton was performed. The surgeon who
operated on Christian was connected with
Johns Hopkins University Hospital and
one of the most eminent practitioners in
the country.
DR.. Vaughan witnessed the operation
and assisted in the work. The operation
consisted OF the removal OF a part OF
the skull as large as the palm OF man s
hand, so that a blood clot could be re-
moved The bone was cut away and the
clot taken out. but Christian succumbed
shortly after he had been removed from
the operating room.
Suffered Brain Injury.
About month ago DR.. Vaughan was
consulted concerning the case of Carroll
Heiskell. thirteen years old. son Of Henry
L. Heskell. chief of the marine division
OF the Weather Bureau
The boy was suffering from an injury
to the brain received when he was two
years old The child was AFFLICTED so
that he could not talk, his condition re-
semblng an unusual form of paralysis.
DR. Vaughan decided that an operation
similar to that performed on Archer
Christian was the only way in which
TO restore the child to his normal con-
ditiOn.
The parents of the boy knew the dan
ger Of the operation. but it was believed
the lad would pull through He had been
living at his fathers country home in
Bethesda. Md, and was in strong physical
condition.
Carroll Heiskeu was removed 10 the
hospital on March Is and was operated
upon the following day The operation
was witnessed by several physicians and
students, and created much interest at
the hospital because the same operation
had resulted fatally Tor the Christian
youth
Bone Is Replaced.
A hole was cut in the skull and q
piece Of bone several inches in diameter
was removed. A lobe OF the brain which
had been dislodged from its natural posi-
ton was restored and the skull was
closed. the bone being replaced in the
hole from which IL had been taken. The
operation lasted nearly two hours, in
which time hardly A word was spoken
except when DR.. Vaughan whispered an
instruction TO an assisting physician or
a nurse
Mr. HeiskeH his wife. and two daugh-
ters remained near the operating room,
ready to go to the side of the boy If he
should show signs of sinking. When the
operation was completed the boys con-
dition was such that DR.. Vaughan be-
heved the operation would be successful
Mrs Heiskell and the sisters of the lad
remained at the hospital, eating and
sleeping there, where they could be in
constant attendance on the youthful pa
tent The day after the operation the
boy did not show expected signs Of i'm
provement He gradually grew worse,
and died at $50 o'clock last Monday
night.