The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-07-26
SURGEON FREEZES
OFF A B|RTHMARK
Form Of a Furry Dog OH Boys
Face Removed by Hospital
Surgeon.
COVERED ONE WHOLE SIDE
Solution Brought to 100 Degrees
Below Zero Eradicates
Disagreement.
COVERED ONE WHOLE SIDE

New York, July 25.-A birthmark
that covered one side OF the face OF
Joseph Joyce, eleven years old. with
shaggy fur has been almost entire
~ removed by DR.. Alfred Potter, of the
Kings County Hospital. The mark
bore close resemblance to dog.
Through a difficult surgical operation
DR.. Potter has eradicated most of the
fur and the outline, and expects within
a few weeks to effect an entire cure.
The case Of the boy has been one
of the most difficult on record, and be-
cause of the success Of the operation
the physicians of the Kings County
Hospital believe that they have solved
the problem of 'disposing of ugly, dis
figuring birthmarks.
The Joyce boy lives In No. 80 State
Street with his parents. A few weeks
before he was born his mother was at
tackled by a vicious Newfoundland dog
and has never overcome her fear of
the animals. The boy when he grew
up was an unusually handsome child,
with the exception of the fur that hid
the right side of his race.
Instead of wearing eff, as the mother
had hoped. the hair on the side OF
the boys face grew with his years.
1t was Of the thick texture of dogs
fur. and the most curious thing about
1t was that 1t was shaped in the form
of dog
The head Of the animal was close to
the boys forehead and the other lines
in resemblance to the animal were
brought out in uncanny detail on the
boys face. His mother brought him to
the Long Island College Hospital sew
eral months ago. but the boy refused
TO submit to the treatment. He ran
away and would not return.
He was finally convinced that the
mark which made him so conspicuous
to submit to an operation. DR.. Potter,
one of the visiting surgeons of the hos
pital. who had had good results in this
branch of work, took charge of the
case three months ago.
His solution to kill the growth OF
the fur and to remove the traces Of
the mark was composed of carbon
dioXide and snow. This was brought
to temperature 120 degrees below
zero and applied TO the face.
Take 1t away. II burns" yelled the
boy as the frozen solution was applied
to his face. He was permitted to feel
the tube TO convince himself that 1t
was frozen, but he made the same out
cry "Hen the colo instrument again
touched his face. Finally he became
so violent that he had to be strapped
to the operating table during each
application.
After a few months the treatment
brought results. The fur disappeared
and showed no signs of new growth
the natural down showed in It's place.
The marks under the skin were blotted
out and the face took on the same boy
ish flush that showed in the other
cheek.
The head of the dog. however. still!
is unremoved. DR.. Potter has recog-
nized the danger of applying the treat
ment too close to the temple and is
going slowly in his operation in that
region. He believes, however, that 1t
Will be possible for him to get under
the skin with his knife and to apply
his solution without atrophying any
OF the nerve centres so close to the
brain. In the next few weeks little
Joseph. the surgeon thinks, will be sent
out without the Disagreement that
threatened to mar his entire life.