FATAL RESULT OF A DESPERATE SURGICAL OPERATION.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 2, Issue 99, 23 August 1879, Page 2

FATAL RESULT OF A DESPERATE SURGICAL OPERATION.

(From the Tipton (In.J Advertiser.) An event no less sad than strange transpired at our neighbouring village of Clarence last Friday morning, resulting in tho sudden death of Mr. William Ferguson. Deceased was a cousin of Mr. J. P. Ferguscu, a well-known resisident and long time postmaster of t 'laronce : and like the latter, Mr. \V. Ferguson served his country long and faithfully in the war of tho rebellion—contracting during such service the genus of that terrible disease intlamatory rheumatism. Later in life this enemy bi - camo an active one, ami for several weeks ho has been a terrible sufferer, his legs being so distorted as to make him a cripple, while for throe and a half years the same tyrant had held his head bent prune upon his breast. In this condition, and being also suffering from a sensitiveness which often made it torture to be (moved Dr. J. A. Carson, a graduate of Hahnemann Medical College, Chicago (Homowpathic), and who has been located at Clarence in a reasonably .successful practice for something over a year, «'a> called to attend the caee. After two weeks of treatment, during which there was manifest improvement in tho patient's general condition, tho doctor determined upon nu effort to straighten the neck, havproviously treated tho muscles involved and concluded, from repeated trials with the bauds, that the oporation might be mado a success. We are informed, however, that the doctor undercook the ta?k somewhat reluctantly and at the patients urgent request, ho having told Ferguson that it might bo attendod with iouio danger. That fears of danger wore well grounded was demonstrated last Friday morning, when tho oporation wai attempted—tbo patient dying on tho table almost before its completion. liis nook was straightoucd, but ho no longer know nor cared ! Tho caso is perhaps without a in the annals of surgery, and U, in addition to interest from a professional or M'iontitio stand-point, tho peculiar WrcuiuslancoH awakened lively curiosity and commont in all parts of tho country

when the r.Ttilt has become known, wo have taken the time and trouble iiev.saary to prasjut h.ivwith the Mwtinyiny, substantially n full, of all the material witnesses who were cxaniiued at the inquest held by Coroner Sweet 00 Friday and Saturday. The post Bottom examination WM etnducted by Dr. Htihbell, of Mechanicsvalle, a Homceuphatic physician of long practice, and Dr. Anderson, of Clareme, a physician of the regular M'houl. Dr. luil.ins..n, who assisted Dr. C arson in the operation, is a fellow disciple of Hahnemann, who is looted, we believe, at Olin.. The 'appliance," to which frequent reference is made by the witnesses, needs to l>e seen to be nppicciated. Jt consists of an iron bar, reaching from the waist, where it was to have been strapped to the top of the head. A transverse bar under the shoulders was .armed with a strap at each end to go rbout either arm, while the upper end v. aa finished similar to a photographer's *' head-rest," with a strap to buckle over the forehead. It was wound with cloth to mitigate the hardness of the material —but at the best looked as if it might have been resurrected from tin- dungeons of the Inquisition. However, there remains littlo doubt that it would have held the man's head in a perpendicular position could it have hud a fair chance.