AN AMERICAN SURGICAL EXPERIMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6099, 4 June 1881, Page 7

AN AMERICAN SURGICAL EXPERIMENT.

An interesting surgical experiment was made the other day. by Dr. Banton, of /.Cleveland, Ohio, who for some : y6ars : has made "engrafting" a subject of special study. From an account given of, the by Dr.' Banton to tho reporter, of. the Cleveland Herald, it seems lie wa's so confident achange of'fingers between two persons could be without difficulty that he determined to make a trial. ,11c accordingly arranged witli.Frank and Augustus Filer, aged respectively twenty-five i and twenty-eight, for a "considerable sum "of money, to undergo the necessary operation.' With the help of his assistant, Dr. Banton first amputated, the little finger of tlie haild of Augustus and then "the little linger i)f the hand of Frank; engraftingthe partamjmtated from one person to that of the other, putting four sutures' in each. The fingers were dressed, and the men departed; with strict'injunctions to say nothing, about.the matter and to return 011 the following'morning to have their fingers re-dressed.. -Inuring, the :operatidiV;' "quite anj amusing incident,"a3Dr. Baiitpn termed it, occurred. Mr.' Frdnk'File'r's i f3ng;er I after being amputated, was "wrapped'ina towel and placed-on-thcsteam-heater.yrThft assistant, nop noticing the firigerj iised .the 'towel, and jtrhen the 'finger Svas wanted''to ! place on the :stump of Augustus:,it cpuld-.nqt.'J?e found. I After an anxious search, of a few minutes it was discovered ,by. Dr.. Banton, in a,bucket, and, a hearty laugh"' was the only resUlt of what; might have proved an awkward affair. *TJie' entire operation was performed in ''less than a ?. hour, without the aid of anaesthetics or stimulants. Both men, by latest'accounts, are doing well. There was a union of the parts and a partial circulation, giving a normal appearance to the finger as > far down as the nail, 24 hours after the "operation. One of the men said he already felt sensation in what had been his brother's finger. The cases,, it is to hear, w.cre being watched by' Dr. Banton 'with the most careful attention.