The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-03-28
.PARALY we NERVE
TO EJECT CURE
Surgeons Perform Unique
Operation to Stop Girls
Eye from Twitching.

Philadelphia, March 2S.-Physicians
and society are awaiting with much
interest the outcome of an unusual OPP
Grafton performed to preserve the
attractiveness of a young woman, a
member of one of the Oldest families
in this part of the state. The patient
is Esther Heacock, daughter of a
wealthy florist in Wyncote. an alumna
of Mt. Holyoke college and an expert
in violet culture. She submitted to
an operation which caused paralysis
of the trifacial nerve, controlling all
the muscles on the left side of the
face, and this paralysis will remain
for several months. The purpose is
/ TO give the nerve complete rest SO
that when ii resumes it's functions
again it will act normally and no long
/ er cause a twitching of the eye. that
not only annoyed Miss Heacock great
| ly, but caused many wrinkles on one
side of her face
The involuntary twitching of the
eye went on constantly. Miss Hea-
cock was helpless against it, though
she realized it annoyed her friends
and tended finally to distort her face.
Exercise of will power was futile to
prevent it, and she finally consented
to an operation by which the gang
loin of the trifacial nerve behind the
left ear was exposed and soaked in al
cohol thus paralyzing the func-
ton Of the motor part of the nerve.
| LOT fri fac io1 hac or,,if ira-
tons over the entire face, controlling
the actions of the left eye. one side of
the mouth, the muscles of the cheek
and the muscles of mastication on the
| left side.
While the function of the nerve is
held in elegance the left side of Miss
HeacOck's face remains immobile, ev
en- to the eyelid, and must continue
to do SO until the nerve is restored to
activity again. Such course, howev-
err, was deemed necessary by the sur
geons as the only means of enabling
the nerve to overcome it's trick of
forcing muscles about the eye to
| twitch.
J Many persons suffer from similar
trouble. Twitching of the muscles in
many cases is due to arrangement
of certain nerves or to the fact that
nerve centers or ganglions become as
customed to ordering the twitchings
without any suggestion from the brain.
The nerve cells, like substations of a
telegraph system, become deranged
and without any suggestion from the
brain permit the muscles to act In
many instances such subconscious
acts are of great value, but when the
nerve cells become deranged to such
an extent that they cause twitchings
and similar involuntary movements
of the muscles they do great harm.
In Miss Heacock's case the witch
ing became unusually bad. The ply
| sicians were at loss for long time
to understand what made it so vio-
lent. Many surgeons and experts
studied the case and it finally was de-
cided the only way to cure the trouble
was to put the nerve to sleep for
long time, in the hope that when it
regained it's function it would have
given up it's habit of sending the
twitching messages to the eye. How
the twitching first started was not as
certained, but it was said once the
nerve got into the habit of doing it
there was practically no way of stop
ping it except by the operation that
was performed. DR.. James Walker,
an uncle, first attended the girl He
called in DR.. Gordon of Broad and
Pine streets, famous nerve special
list, and DR.. Beaver, a surgeon of ma
tional repute. These two found the
case specially interesting, and when
it finally was decided to operate sew
eral other doctors were invited to wit
ness it.
| The surgeons made an incision be.
hind the ear, right over the gangloin
and injected alcohol, to preserve the
nerve and at the same time to cause
paralysis. The result of that condi-
ton Of the nerve, of course. is par
alysis of the muscles over which the
branches of the nerve are spread. The
nerve no longer carries any messages
to the muscles. 1t is asleep, and will
remain SO for period of about six
months. 1t will be three months more
before the surgeons will know wheth-
er the operation is successful.
The striking thug is that the eye
remains open unless closed by hand.
DR.. Deaver and DR.. Gordon both re-
fused to discuss the case. Surgeons,
however. look on it as unusual.
Miss Heacock belongs to a family
that has had high standing in Phila-
delphia since before the days of the
revolutionary war. Her mother and
aunt at one time conducted select
private school in Chelton Hills for
girls Miss Heacock is clever ten
mis- player and is fond of all outdoor
sports.
After being graduated from college
she became interested in the cultiva-
ton of violets, and today she makes
a specially of raising them for many
florist shops.
| Wanted It Realistic.