The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-02-04
N0NAN'S SCALP
WAS torn [ OFF
Physicians Stitched the Pieces
Back in Place Was Ground
in Machine

Washington, Feb. ,4.-Gripped by
her hair in the fast-moving steel roll
ers of a tabulating machine at the
census Office, which tore her scalp
entirely from her head, Miss Alice v.
Houghton, % years old. narrowly es-
capped death yesterday afternoon. She
was picked up unconscious after the
machine had been stopped. Hundreds
of her fellow-employes. some faint
with the sight and the rest too hor-
ror-stricken to move or speak, crowd
ed about the scene.
Nearly two hours later her mutilat-
ed scalp, piece by piece, was taken in
the hands Of the surgeons and their
assistants ut Emergency hospital and
replaced on the skull. More than 100
stitches were taken to reunite the
torn tissues; Miss Houghton was re-
ported to be progressing as well as
could be expected under the circum-
stances late last night. She probably
will be able TO preserve her hair.
Just how Mfes HoughtoA happened
to get her hair aentangled in the ma
chine is not knpwn. There were
nearly 100 CLERKS Hrxkipg in, the
sans room with her 81. Che time. :
r The 41cidsut occurred shortly. after
3 o'clock, when all the tabulating
machines located in the west side Of
the census Office were working at full
speed. The first intimation that the
other clerks had Of the accident was
when they were startled by a pierc-
ing scream. Springing from their
seats. they beheld the young woman
stretched at full length on the floor
beneath the center Of the machine
she: had been operating. H. Seller
was the first to reach her side, and,
reaching down beneath the machine,
he lifted the young woman.
When it was seen that every part
,icle Of the victims scalp had been
torn of. screams arose from all sides.
and q. number OF the women clerks
swooned.
An electrician dashed to- the
switches governing the electric pow
er. and In an instant had brought ev-
erything to standstill.
Mr.. Seller held Miss Houghton in
his arms. until stretcher. was
brought from the emergency room To-
Gated atone end Of the census Office.
Miss Houghton was placed on the
stretcher and hurried to the emerg-
ency room. In a few minutes the
Emergency hospital ambulance arriv-
ed with DIR. Walter Price in charge.
While Miss Houghton lay in the
emergency room awaiting the arrival
of the ambulance. one Of the clerks
engaged in the tabulating room
reached beneath the machine at
which the young woman had been
working, to ascertain how she had
met with the accident. He found her
hair and scalpe tightly wound about
one Of the shafts, and it was only
with the greatest difficulty that he
loosened 1t.
Where's her scalp?" DR.. Price
cried to the frightened group Of
clerks and census officials. who stood
about him when he came.
What do you want with that? It's
all torn to pieces" replied one Of the
clerks.
Never mind; I must have It," he
said.
Miss Houghton was hurried to the
main operating room as soon as the
hospital was reached, and an anes-
thetic was Immediately administered.
It was found that the turning Of the
shaft had not only torn her scalp
from her head, but had also carried
with 1t all the skin covering the fore
head down to the eyes. Even the
eyebrows had been torn of.
Physicians at Emergency hospital
say Miss Houghton's case is one Of
tho most unusual that has ever been
treated In any of the local hospitals.
There have been several instances
where people in this city have met
with accidents that tore the scalp
partially OF. but Miss Houghton's is
the flrst case Of complete loss. The
idea Of sewing together a mutilated
scalp and then placing It back on the
injured persons head is almost un-
heard Of In local medical circles, and
last night number Of physicians of
the city either called at or telephoned
to the hospital to learn something Of
the details Of the unusual operation.