REMARKABLE MEDICAL OPERATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6063, 23 April 1881, Page 7

REMARKABLE MEDICAL OPERATION.

A Philadelphia despatch, says : —About five \veeks ago, Mrs. \fflsori, who resides with her husband, Soloman Wilson, in Southstreet, was • dangerously burnt. ; She was standing with her back, to the fire, talking to another woman, when the latter exclaimed, .", You are on fire !" and ran out of the room, leaving the door open. The drafts fanned the flame, and although ran to the hydrant in the back yard she could get do water because the pipes were frozen. She isped through the back street enveloped in j Barnes, when, "fortunately, a courageous neighbour saw her, threw open her door, and wrapped her in some loose carpet.' , A scene of suffering ensued, all the-fleshy parts of Mrs. Wilson's back and limbs being almost roasted. Dr. M'Lean. whose services were called in, exerted himself to the utmost, applying the most approved remedies, but so great was the agony she endured that her reason tottered, and her life was despaired of. Mrs. Wilson is the mother of live little children, all of whom were removed to the residence of her brother, Mr. Jasner, while her husband and friends gathered around her bed. For long weeks sha lingere without intermission of agony or apparent improvement. At last Dr. M'Lean informed Mr. "Wilson that it would be absolutety necessary to transplant live hesh to the parts where the tissues had been destroyed, and Prof. Levis was called in, and decided in favour of the operation. Although her mind was wandering, Mrs. Wilson appeared to have some idea that a painful experiment was impending, and screamed to the doctor to take away the lancet, althongh he had not displayed nor indeed at that time spoken in her hearing of any instrument, but her nervous exhaustion was so great that it was considered unsafe to cut the flesh required from her own person. Dr. Levis asked Mr. Wilson if he was willing to submit to the paiuful process of furnishing the flesh from his arm._ "Certainly," said Mr. Wilson, "if it takes my whole right arm, cntitoff from the shoulder, to save my wife." Mr. Wilson bared and -extended his right arm while Dr. Levis with his assistant and Dr. M'Lean, cut ten pieces of skin, a quarter of an inch square, from its upper surface, and transplanted them upon the back of Mrs. Wilson. During the whole operation Mr. Wilson never moved a muscle, nor showed signs of the pain that he suffered, while it required the strength of six , womeu to hold Mrs. Wilson as the delicate transfer was made. After the operation was finished the patient seemed more comfortable, the brain trouble gradually subsided, and she is in a fair way to recovery. The self-sacrificing fortitude of Mr. Wilson is the niore remarkable because of the fact that for two years past his health has been failing.