DELICATE SURGERY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2770, 8 February 1882, Page 3

DELICATE SURGERY.

Two very interesting surgical operations were successfully performed at the Waimate County Hospital on Monday by Dr Chilton, assisted by Dr Hammond, of Tiraaru. The patient in the first case was William Metcalf, who some sixteen months ago sustained a fracture of the right thigh, which having been treated in the usual way both here and at Timaru (the patient having for a short time been removed to the hospital at the latter place), refused to unite. Finding all other means unavailing, Dr Chilton determined, as a last resource short of amputation, to cut down upon the fracture and unite the bones by the use of ivory pegs. This was accordingly done (the patient of course being placed under chloroform) and apparently with •very prospect of succes, he being yesterday in a favorable condition. The other case was that of the boy Walter Bracefield, who has been for five years an Inmate of the institution, suffering from scrofulous disease of the hip-joint. The boy’s leg had become perfectly useless, being crossed and fixed over the other. In this case the operation known as “ Ogston’s,” was performed, and a large piece of the head of the thigh bone, of wedge-shaped form, being removed, all the dead bone taken away, and the leg straightened. Had this operation not been, undertaken the boy could not have lived ▼ery long, but if his constitution will •tand jfiie strain, as it is hoped will be the case, he will be enabled to earn his own livelihood, and indeed, will suffer no inconvenience beyond the fact of one limb being somewhat shorter than the other. This is, we believe, the first time thei operation described has been performed in the Colony.—(“Waimate Times.”)