A REMARKABLE OPERATION.

Temuka Leader, Volume 2, Issue 127, 8 March 1879, Page 3

A REMARKABLE OPERATION.

On the 23rd of September, 1874, a -shocking accident occurred to Miss Lucy A. Osborne, who was at work in a button factor’}' in New Milford. She was stooping down to pick up some work, when a dangling tress of her hair was caught by a swiftly whirling shaft, and in a flash her entire scalp was torn off. It was a frightful wound. Not only the scalp was -removed, but nearly all of the right ear, SCI and a portion of tiro right cheek. The ' right eyebrow was also taken and the left drawn up from its place. The strain on the muscles arid chords of the forehead ■almost destroyed her sight. She was to Sfc. Luke’s Hospital in New York treatment, where she remained nearly four years. She is now at home with her father, Stephen Oshorne, New Milford, and although the marks of tie terrible acckbmt will til ways remain, yet surgical ■skill has done much to modify them. A new scalp has grown upon her head by the grafting thereon of minute bits of skin. Th s has been a work of several years. Tim pieces were contributed from the arms of the surgeons. The total -number of pieces used in this operation 12,600. One of the surgeons contributed from his person 1202 pieces, and another gave 865. The appearance of the scalp now is ■similar to that of a - healed wound. Of -course there can be no growth of hair thereon. The eyes still present a slightly drawn appearance, but their sight is very ■good, although they will not bear a close application without weariness. The wounds of the cheek and ear have been neatly dressed, the former leaving scarcely a scar. During her stay in the hospital she was visited by many medical men, a number of them being from Europe. In the first of the grafting process bits of skin the :size of nickle pieces were employed, but not with good success, and at the suggestion of an English surgeon, much smaller pieces were substituted, and with excellent results. ‘ Danebury News.’