Arizona republican., 1911-05-29
NECK BROKEN
BY DIVING
All But Fatal Injury Suffered
by Arthur Fra|ey
CHANCES FOR RECOVERY
Operation for His Relief
Gives Hopeful Indications
Though Patient Is for the
Present Paralyzed and in
Critical Condition.
CHANCES FOR RECOVERY

Diving in too shallow water yes
terday in the Maricopa canal near
the crossing Of the Mcdowell road two
miles east Of Phoenix, Arthur Fraley.
the 17year-old son Of Policeman
John Ftaley, broke his neck Though
his injury is Of character that more
often than otherwise proves instantly
fatal and has left him for the present
| paralyzed below the part Of the spine
affected, an operation performed last
evening by DR.. Willard Smith bids fair
to restore him 10 complete recovery,
with the possible exception of a stiff
neck. He was resting as comfort
! ably as could be hoped for last
night and was able to converse freely
| The patients temperature was very
high, condition that could not be
/ otherwise. and he is in a critical
state but a greater measure of sue
cess thus far could not have at
| tended the surgeons treatment. The
manner in which the boy was hurt is
an incident Of common occurrence.
but his splendid and unusual chances
/ for recovery are such that the case
viii be watched with special interest
in the community, particularly by the
medical profession.
| In company with his brother-in- law.
! ID. Habecker, and a playmate named
Roy Fowler, Arthur went to the canal
about midafternoon yesterday for
| swim. They had not been in the
water long when he dived To the bot
! tom of the ditch. Whether he was
misinformed as to the depth of the
water or failed to assume the in
| tended angle in his plunge. his head
struck on the bottom of the canal
with great force. Mr.. Habecker in
stantly saw the boys trouble and
pulled him out or he would probably
have drowned, for paralysis of the
body and lower limbs was instant.
though he was yet able to use his
arms a little.
Arthur was brought at once to the
hospital but before he reached there
the sense of feeling had also left his
arms. though he could still talk Dr.
Roy Thomas. the family physician,
was summoned to attend him and he
Immediately called DIR. Smith in con-
sultation He was given the best pos
sible temporary relief and inspection
4 showed that ne had broken the arch
of the sixth cervical vertebra and that
the arch was pressing on the spinal
cord
An operation was performed as soon
as possible, the broken pieces of
bone being removed, relieving the
pressure on the spine. 1t was found
that the covering of the spinal cord
had not been torn though the mea
sure of the injury to the cord itself
cannot vet be determined. The boy
rallied after the operation and was
able to converse with those i'm at
tendance II was stated last night
that the indications at that time We're
that he would recover and that if he
did there would be no more perman-
ent injury than a stiffness of the
meek. He is still paralyzed and it is
expected that he will he for several
davs at least but if fortune favOrs
the patient that condition will grad
ualIv wear away. 1t is a case in
which only so much can be done for
his relief and for the rest depen-
dence must be placed in his general
health which is said to be good as he
lis a bright husky lad. and in his
good luck Thus far he may consider
that fate is with him for ii is rarely
I that one so hurt lives long enough
to gain a fighting chance for life.
Arthur is well known in the city
and at one time was employed as a
carrier for The Republican. His many
friends of the family. which resides
at Tenth and Fillmore streets. will
wish for him a speedy recovery and
the best of luck
This incident will recall TO readers
of the telegraph columns an item
that appeared a few days ago an
lnouncing the death of Walter Duryea,
in New York. one of the most notable
cases of a similar kind, due partly
To the prominence of the patient.
Durvea was the son of a wealthy
starch manufacturer and twelve years
ago while bathing at a beach in
Florida he was injured in almost the
same way, his head coming in con-
tact with the hard sand when he
dived into the water. For long
time he fingered between life and
, death and though he never recovered
! sufficiently to leave n reclining posi-
ton he became a brilliant business
man and so managed the large es-
tate of his father that it was in
or.ocad many fold