REMARKABLE OPERATION

Evening Star, Issue 18336, 25 July 1923, Page 9

REMARKABLE OPERATION

AN ADELAIDE CASS. What is claimed to bo the only operation of ius kind ever performed in Australia. was carried out at tho Keswick 'Military Hospital, Adelaide, recently. Tho patient, Frederick William Grosser, is a, railway porter, living at Torreusville. In 1917, while on active service, Grosser wns severely wounded, receiving shrapnel bullets in one side of the neck, and just escaping death through medical attention being immediately available, though internal bleeding aud aneurism resulted, and Grosser had to be three times operated upon in England. On his return to Australia, after resuming his civil occupation, he experienced trouble in Hie upper region of one arm, causing pain, and rendering the limb partially useless. Layers of congealed blood spread through his system, pressing on the nerves, and the man's condition gradually became grave. Eventually, as a last resort, to save his life the operation took place, lasting live hours. Both Grosser and his wife were prepared for tho worst, but I lie patient displayed remarkable courage during the operation, which was performed liy two leading surgeons, assisted by three other doctors. Tho operation had only been previously undertaken, it was staled, on dead bodies, for experiment, and not hitherto in Australia on a living person. Tho decay of a. main artery neces.-ritatrd tho opening of the flesh from the neck to below the bottom of the heart, and for hours tho patient’s Life Inin- by a thread. It now is reported that, although in great pain, which is being minimised bv morphia. Grower's recovery is expected.