Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-08-07
THE MAGIC OF MODERN SURGERY
ny FREDERIC ). HAsKIN.

WASHINGTON. August "a few
months ago. n plate printer employed
in the Bureau of Engraving and Print
ing AT Washington hurt his thumb
The injury appeared slight, and he
neglected to have II attended to until
Il bone felon formed, which greatly
interfcrcd with his work. When he
finally did seek medical attention, IL
looked as if the entire thumb would
have 10 he amputatcd Instead. how
ever. at tho suggestion OF his physi-
clan. he entered the Polytechnic Hospital
in Philadelphia, where his thumb was
restored by unique method. I'm
scientifically speaking, a piece Of ncsh
was removed from the right side Of
his abdomen and moulded into a new
thumb. which. for all practical pur-
poses. is good as the old one TO
he sure. there are few things 10
be desired, far as the sculpture is
concerned, and the digit lacks IL Ger
tain natural ncxbility, hut the i'm
portant fact remains that the printer
has n thumb with which 10 resume his
work
With surgery in this high stage OF
perfection, joy-riding and the handling
Of high explosives begin to lose their
tcrrorS for us. and to suggest the pos
sible means of changing certain facial
characteristics that tend to mar our
beauty. Many people arc constantly
irritated by the shape OF their noses.
far instance. and il these could be
mashed into pulp and then sculptorcd
by the plastic surgeon at the expense
Of q generous slice of double chin. the
accident insurance companies would he
compelled to 20 out OF business. In
order TO protect these last brisk and
up-to-date business concerns from
bankruptcy. however. II should be
stated that the substituted anatomy is
nj n -aNsG ~
process OF manufacture is something
of nuisance.
Thus the printer who was given
new thumb was to the unmedical
mind the victim Of a somewhat har-
rowing experience. First they clcanacd
his thumb thoroughly. then they made
AN incision in his abdomen near the
appendix and attached to the end Of
his thumb to the flesh with several
stitches. Here it stayed for several
days until it had grown fast to his
body. after which it was separated by
the knife aud the skin moulded into
the thumb contour. The cavity left
in the abdomen was taken care of by
another skn-grafting operation. In
the case OF face wounds. however. this
method is. "f course, impossible since
unfortunately nature made no adequate
provision for grating the face on to
anything but the neck.
Miracles Performed Daily.
Plastic surgery has been practiced
more or less indiffcrently throughout
the ages. one occasionally reads OF
some learned italian OF tho sixteenth
century who was exceptionally skillful
in building out checks and noses and
many remarkable tales have come from
the beauty parlnrs. But plastic sur
gerry to-day is saving tho lives Of half
the wounded OF Europe. Owing TO the
great amount of trench lighting which
Is taking place in this war. the ma
jorlty of the wounds arc head wounds.
and the surgeons of Europe arc daily
performing surgical fcats in face con-
struction that are little less than
miracles
Moreover. some Of the greatest OF
these surgeons are Americans. so that
IL the war ever ceases we havo big
bunch of medical talent coming back
to MS. The American Ambulance Hos
nital ut Ncuilly. France, is known
throughout Europe for its expert sur
gerry and for the lowest mortality rate
OF any hospital in any war. 1t IS
housed In large French school build
inGs which were just completed at the
beginning OF the war. and is under the
authority of the French government,
but 1t is financed and run by Amer
leans. The most difficult surgery cases
are handled here. 1t has one OF the
most remarkable dental departments
in the world: opera singers and portrait
painters for ordcrlies, and certain
very famous woman portrait painter
in charge Of the hospital supplies. who
is using her talents In the invention
Of mechanical appliances for the sur
geons in making their operations.
The surgeons themselves have ceased
to be surprised at their own ingenuity
in reconstructins what is commonly
termed In tho war zone cannon fodder"
One man was brought into the hospital
not long ago with hardly any face left
ut all His cheek had been shattered
by piece Of shrapnei four inches long
and two inches wide, which, in pass
ing, bad fractured ono Jaw. dislocatcd
his teeth and planted n few in his
palate and had loosened both jaws.
He was Immediately hustled into the
dental department, where metal bands
we're made to support his jaws and
bridge shaped bar extended from
side to side which also held n set Of
new teeth improviscd by tho dental
laboratory.
American Completed the job.
This work completed. he was taken
to the operating room and turned over
to an American surgeon, who con-
nected the skin from the upper and
lower part of his face and fashioned
him q brand new check. This man now