MAN BREAKS NECK

Hokitika Guardian, 22 April 1933, Page 3

MAN BREAKS NECK

discharge from hospital

FULL, RECOVERY EXPECTED

To have received a broken neck and .yet to be able to walk three months afterwards is.the experience of a yom.g Taranaki farnie,, Air David Burr, it affords a striking illustration of the advances that have been made in surgical science of late years, as some years ago a broken neck was regarded as synonymous with death. Several recent eases in Auckland have resulted in (permanent cuies.

-Ur . Burr, who is aged 32 and its of splendid physique, was working on a farm near Tikorangi. On January 10 lie wa s riding a horse on the farm when the girth broke and- he was thrown heavily to the giound, landing on his shoulder and h ad. "When lie partially recovered lie picked up the heavy saddle and placed it* on his shoulder, the horse meanwhile having galloped away. He carried the saddle' across a, gidlv and up a 'hillside ' seven or eight chains towards the house. When he- had nearly reached the house he collapsed.

[- All. X-ray examination disclosed that lie had broken one of the vertebrae in hi :r deck, the fact- tlis't- his''shoulder had taken the main 'force of the fall, probably having saved him from immediate death.

For three wedcs he lay in hospital •practically' unable to move, and then his neck wrs encased .in"piasterJ and .a. week later, a lien the plasteß’had liard-t»"ie-d suff.pientl.y, h,?' was permitted to : leave tiie hospital for his home. With the same casing'of plaster ha has to 'visit the hospital, periodically for examination, ?iid though he is able to walk and take an interest in affairs' generally Without being able'to' work, of course, lie will have to we,ar the plaster for some time yet.