New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-08-29
SURGEONS SKILL SAVES
HELPLESS PARALYT|C
Delicate Operation Performed
on Painter in Beth
Israel Hospital.
SPINE FRACTURED By FALL
Patient Moved His Limbs for
First Time in Nearly Six
Weeks While Throwing
Off Anasthetic.

Thanks to the skill ~ the surgeons Of
Beth Israel Hospital, Jacob Mehlman.
painter, OF No. 357 South Sd street, Brook
lyn, expects soon 20 he once more at
work at his trade. instead Of a helpless
paralytic. Mehlman had been paralyzed
for five weeks, the result OF an accident
which fractured his spinal column. when
after entering the hospital he had the
first sensations Of life he had felt below
told that before many more weeks had
passed he could go back on the scattold
ii he wanted TO take the risk again.
Mehlman, who Is thirty years old and
was born in Russia. was at work on a
scaffold in Hoboken in the middle Of
July, when one Of the ropes gave way
and one end Of the scaffold dropped. let
ting him fall TO the ground He struck
on his back. and when he attempted 20
get up found he could not move his legs.
An ambulance was called and he was
taken TO a hospital in Hoboken, where
an X-ray photograph was taken 70 as
certain the nature Of the trouble. The
photograph was a failurc, and Mehlman
remained in the hospital for five weeks.
10 all appearances hopelessly paralyzed-
From his waist down he was utterly
without sensations OF life, nor had he
the ability TO move his limbs.
On Saturday the painter was taken 20
Beth Israel Hospital. He had asked 20
have one more attempt made for him by
his own people, and admission was Sc
cured for him at Beth Israel. When the
accident that Mehlman had suffered had
been described TO the surgeons there. DR..
Benjamin Rosenbluth, the visiting neu-
rologist Of the hospital, diagnosed the
case as positive fracture Of the spinal
column. with the fragments OF the bone
pressing against the spinal cord. An
X-ray photograph was taken by DR.. l.
S. Hirsch. the radiographist Of the hos
pital. and DR.. Rosenoluth's diagnosis
was confirmed After a consultation II
was decided that the only hope for Mehl-
man was TO perform an operation for
the removal Of the fragments.
This is a very rare operation and ope
of great delicacy. If il We're successful.
il would mean a record for the cure OF
paralysis due 20 the fracture OF the
spinal column. IL meant the exposure
to view OF the spinal cord, which in
itself is a wonderful operation without
the attending circumstances of removing
fragments Of bone which press on the
delicate nerve trunk.
DR. Richard Lewisohn, the attending
surgeon OF the hospital, was chosen 70
perform the operation. and he had for
his assistants DR.. Leo B. Mayer. asso-
ciate surgeon. and DR.. Adolph Jacoby.
house surgeon. The operation was per-
formed yesterday. and was pronounced
completely successful by the attending
physicians. Mehlman gave the first man
ifestations of a beginning OF the restora-
ton OF sensations in his legs when he
was coming out from under the anas-
thetic His lower limbs moved then for
the first time in nearly six weeks.
Last night Mehlman said that he had
almost completely recovered the sensa-
tions in his legs. and the doctors told
his overjoyed relatives that in a few
weeks he would be once more a sound
and hearty man.