New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1928-08-18
ARTIFICIAL SKULL.
AND man LIVES ON
Had Been Declared dead" Once
by Physicians

Toronto. Aug 1s-Norman Doug
las Ellis of Toronto was Killed by
an electric shock little over two
years ago.
Then doctors removed about so
square inches of the bone of his
skull, leaving his brain exposed from
about an inch back of the hairline
In front to about an inch above the
hairline at the base of the neck.
4 But today he is alive and we'll
doing a mans work and enjoying
the best of health.
! This apparent double miracle can
be explained by two factors.
i First. the conscientious work Of
Ellis fellow workmen, who employ
cd artificial respiration after a doc
tor had pronounced him dead from
electrocution, and who thereby re-
stored a life that seemed to have
already departed
Second. an amazingly skillful lob
by doctors on the staff Of the To-
ronto General hospital. who found
way to construct almost an entire
artificial skull for him.
Ellis case is one Of the most
astounding in med icaI annals.
1t was on May 81, 1926, that he
was electrocuted. An employee of the.
Eugenia Falls Hydro Electric com
pany' he was working in a pow :.
house beneath an exposed copper
line carrying electricity to the extent
of 5000 horsepower, which supplied
Is Ontario towns. He was climbing
a stepladder beside a horizontal row
OF iron pipes: the ladder slipped
and he stepped up on the pipes to
keep from falling. This brought his
head in contact with the wire.
There was binding flash as a
immature thunder bolt leaped IS
feet to the ceiling and burned out
a big porcelain insulator there. The
nails in Ellis shoes were welded to
the iron pipe by the heat and he
was left suspended in mid air. Eel
low employees got him down and
called a doctor. The IS towns. were
plunged into darkness.
The doctor pronounced Ellis dead
But the power house workmen had
been trained to employ resuscita
hon methods, always, after an ac-
cldent. no matter how hopeless the
outlook. They did so; and, after 45I
Ellis stirred, began to
He was taken TO a hospital for
treatment. At first it seemed that
his troubles We're over; then NEGRO
sis. or rottine of the bone tissue.
set in in his skull.
inns disease progressed slowly. !
F1nelly. however. after II months |
The doctors We're compelled to cut
away piece of his skull, approx
natelE ten inches long and six
inches wide, to save his life. Brain |
'DhCIasste IN attendance said that !
ne would never be able TO leave his |
nod Skin from his thigh was graft
d over his exposed brain; but there I
VAS no bone under 1t.
Cut Away Skull
Then came the second miracle
With extreme care a mould OF
Ellis head was taken. On II was !
INSTRUCTED something uninue-o
"a k"1ite artificial skull. light and
strong. II was fitted into place -
md presto Fills was him self gam
''he new. skull extends from an inch (.
,nhind the hairllne in front to.the
oack of the neck.
A few weeks go he left the hos
olta1 and returned TO his lob at the
power house. The electricity lof-
him slightly lame in one log. and
Ne uses Il cane to walk. b,r other
Wise he Is as Wei as ever Ife drives
MS car 10 and from work. and dis
plays and much snorgv and stamina
- he had before the acciden,.
Ellis wears wig over his artifi-
.lAl skull and from his arearance
10 one would eNnr know that his
'ead Is not Just like all the other
nHads IN Toronto
DIR r. j.. Gahy. Who was in
h'l'se Of the operations or Ellis.
avs that there is no reason WHY
Ellis should not live TO a ripe old
&c ! he is ever hit a sharp blow
m the head, DIR. Gaby says. il will
'roba'bly kill him otherwise he can
% his daily rounds without ever