New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-09-22
Hospitals Paralyzed Children
Tell Tale of Parents Neglect
Boy Able to Walk and Another Destined Always To Be
Dependant Give Contrast to Foresight
and Carelessness Of 1907.

for treatment when he was released
from quarantine he would to-day have
been able TO move about and work.
Perhaps he would have been compelled
to wear braces. or perhaps he would
have walked only with limp-out ne
would have been self-supporting.
Scores Of similar cases were seen IN
both hospitals. In the treatment OF
some amazing results have been OBJ
tanned by operative procedure, in which
surgeons transplant muscles and ten
dons, remove and shift bones. and orlhg
about a rebalancing of the body, when
restores part of the normal functions
of the affected muscle groups.
Doctor Shows Method.
DR.. Farrell illustrated this procedure
and its results with the case OF Doy
stricken in 1907. whose parents mad the
foresight 70 bring him 10 the hosplta4
and TO keep bringing him constantly LOT
treatment. When this boy came ne was
paralvzed in both arms, both legs, ana
the muscles of his back were so badly
affected that when he attempted 20 SIT
ne doubled up and collapsed. ms boy
was treated for several years. Now ne
walks without braces.
And there was the mother VINO
brought her child to the New lotS
Orthopedic Hospital yesterday WITHIN
half an hour after IL had been ais
charged from Willard Parker Hospital
where il had been treated while It's ~
ness was in the acute stage. This child
had a paralysis OF muscle groups OF
the foot and leg, and as soon as TINS
PARALYSIS was observed surgeons AT
Willard Parker put the foot and leg IN
n plaster cast. II this had not peen
done the foot would have dropped for-
ward. turned inward and the child
would have been hopelessly crippled.
Relief then could have been obtained
for It only By operative procedure IN
volving the removal of bones and the
shifting Of tendons and muscles from
one side of the ankle TO the other. Yes
terdav brace was given the child. but
even without this IL was able 20 walk a
little and move its ankle joint. THIS
child will be brought to the hospital
for massage treatment three times each
week.
Individual Treatment for All.
The General Committee has so ar
ranged its work that every child WILL
receive individual treatment by sur
geons and nurses experienced in muscle
training work Dr.. Farrell is in charge
at the New York 0rthopedic Hospital
and at the Hospital for the Ruptured
and Crippled Dr. Virgil P. Gibney, sur
geon in chief, and DR.. Royal whitman
attending surgeon, two OF the most Ia
nous orthopedic specialists in America,
are in attendance.
The treatment for the first two or
three years consists largely in massage
the use of electricity and muscle train
ing. and corrective gymnastics. Mucn
value is placed by orthopedic special
lists upon muscle training, by which the
child is taught 70 regain control over
the affected muscle groups. Practically
every nurse in New York experienced
in muscle training will be at work in
one Of the orthopedic institutions or
clinics within the next few weeks, and
others will be trained at once By Miss
Miriam T. Sweeney, Of the Children's
Hospital in Boston, who arrived in New
York yesterday.