Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-10-25

Bossineau, % years of age, had worked
for his employer about one year, anC
on March %, 1916, in lifting beam as
he termed the object claims to have
felt severe pain in his right side neal
the region of the appendix and that he
dropped the beam and told his fellow
workmen of the pain. The beam in
question is claimed to weigh about loo
pounds and this or similar beams had
been lifted daily by the injured en-
ploye. He continued the same labors
until April first, when he left his en-
ployer and consulted DR.. Felix Bar
! rett, who first treated for a strain, but
who later diagnosed the trouble as APP
pendicitis and operated April %. 1916.
"Dr. Barrett testified that he found
the appendix inflamed, slightly swol-
len, and that there were adhesions,
that he operated without getting any
history of the case and would not make
a positive statement as to the time
when these adhesions might have
formed. Bossineau made two state
ments relative to previous trouble with
his right side, once stating that he first
felt pain there five months prior to
the date. of injury, and another that it
was more than a year previous to
March 2Sth. 1916. He is uncertain as
to the time but remembers of having
had a similar pain at two different
times prior to the alleged injury and
! admits that he had doctored for APP
pendicitis for year with DR.. Hills.
1.-THE respondent called Dr. Louis L.
Hills, who claims to have operated
many times for appendicitis. and from
the history of the case as told by Bos-
sineau. and DR.. Barrett, is strongly of
the opinion that the appendix was not
affected by lifting. He further states
that it is particularly impossible for a
person to injure the appendix by lift
ing or by pressure against the body
from the object being lifted by the
workman, but is of the opinion that an
infiamed appendix might be affected bv
lifting or from a pressure upon the
body.
Neither physician could state when
the adhesions first began to form. It
seemed to be a matter of opinion that
adhesions begin soon after the an
pendix becomes affected, but the time
necessary for pronounced develop
ment Is uncertain. - -.
IN the tWenty-eighth of March
while lifting the beam in question he
was taken with a pain in the right
side, but continued his work for the
remainder of the week or from Tues
day until Saturday night. He did not
consult DR.. Barrett until the first day
OF April or four days after the attack.
and no operation was had until the
twenty eighth of April. 1t does not
appear that there was intense suffering
at any time during that period. He
ate regularly. was able to go about
town and attend places of amusement.
1t Is very common occurrence for a
person troubled with diseased appen-
dix to be taken with sudden pain while
no physical exertion is being made, or
stricken while asleep in bed, and no
reason Is given by the medical fra
ternity other than that the disease or
afi1iction has developed to such an ex-
tent that a nerve is affected and pain
results.
II would seem reasonable that If
the appendix was injured at the mar
ucular time claimed by Bossineau. ana
was caused by lifting, that to continue
the same kind of labor for the four
Gays Following, the pains would have
become more intense and unbearable in
mucn shorter period, but such was
not the case. A month passed and
tnere Is no evidence of great pain or
VI improvement. Conditions remain