Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-10-14
PERFORM UNUSUAL OPERATION
Last Chance TO Save Young Mans Life
Taken in Already Hopeless Case.

\ most unusual surgical operation
and it IS believed. the first time a
similar operation was ever attempted
in Marshall county. was performed
THURSDAY night on Herbert Head, a
Young man - years old. son of Mr..
ard Mrs Pardon Head, well-known
residents o. the North Star neighbor-
hood. in I-iScon2b township. The oper-
alton was 10 repair the damage done to
the small intestine by reason OF per-
foration o. the bowel. caused by ty-
phod fever The case was a most des-
perate one 10 start with, but with a
pe-faration death IS inevitable. and the
family wished 10 accept the only pos
sible chance 10 operate on the patient
already close 10 death after five
weeks siege Of typhoid.
Young Head has been desperately i'll
for about three weeks, and within the
past Ten DAYS has suffered several
hemorrhages of the bowels. Thursday
night The patient had a sinking spell.
and Dr.. Marble, OF Liscomb. the at
tending physician was called. DR..
Marble recognized the symptoms i'm
ned!ately as being caused by a per-
foration OF the bowel, and 1elephoned
Dr.. u L Chesire, OF this city. whom
he had seen in consultation Realizing
the necessity OF prompt action DR..
Chesi-e. accompanied by DR.. H. H.
Nichols and Dr. G. ". Johnson. hur-
ried TO the Head home in an automo-
bile, and about II o'clock Dr.. Chesire,
assisted By Drs. Nichols, Johnson, and
Marble. performed the operation. The
incision was made near the lower end
Of The small intestine. and the perfor-
a-ion. about aree-Quarters of an inch
in length. was found. The perforation
was closed ard a drain inserted 10 re
ieve the peritoneunl of the poisonous
matter that had drained into Il from
the damaged bowel. There is much
danger already, however, from gen
e-al per:tonits resulting fatally
There Is hardly a chance for the re-
covery q the patient, as all Of the sur
geoas realized. but there was no chance
Tor him % live with perforated bowel.
and ,ha only remaining hope was taken
advantage Of The patient was 50 weak
before the operation that the spark Of
life was hardly noticeable, and the
least minimum anesthetic possible was
administered during the operation.
TIE Head home could not be reached
b. telephone today. but relatives in
this city had not been advised up 20
noon Of Mr. Heads death. Miss Anna
Head, a sister Of the young man, who
( IS employed as a stenographer IN the
Iowa Central local freight office, was
summoned home this morning.
Nj Head Is nephew Of the Misses
Minnie and Fannie Russell, sos West
Main street. formerly well-known resi-
dents Of Liscomb. The sick man IS .
grandson Of the late Wellington Rus
seN. I'd Of Mr.. and Mrs. H. w. Head
Of l:..lgn.
X "a from Liscorlb this afternoon
IS me affect thai the patient is Still
alive. and has recovered from the op-
Grafton quite satisfactorily. There are
~ indications of any i'll effects from
shock. and as yet no symptoms OF
J5trir5nitis However, il is not con-
sidered that the Young man has more
/ than one chance in about 100 Of recov-
cry.
While operations of this kind have
been done within the past ten years
there are records of only a few similar
operations ever having been perform
ed in the state