Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 January 1894 — LIKE A HEART IN HIS LEG. [ARTICLE]

LIKE A HEART IN HIS LEG.

An Interesting Operation on a St. Louis Patient. Dr. Marks, Superintendent of the City Hospital, out a heart out of a man’s leg the other day. Instead of being necessary to the patient’s existence, as hearts usually are, this organ was a very dangerous possession and was likely to end his life at any moment. The heart was almost as large as the one usually found inside a man’s riba, and beat in very much the same manner. It was situated upon the inside of the right leg, four or five inches above* the knee, and was more tender than the ball of the ownor’s eye. Charles Gentry, a laborer, was the owner of this very remarkable organ. To the surgeons the phenomenon is called a traumatic aneurism of the femoral artery. This artery is the big blood feeding pipe that run. from the heart down through the body and leg, famishing life to the different parts of the anatomy as it goes. About two months ago Gentry was struck upon the leg just over the artery by a shaft of a piece of machinery. The inner wall of the artery was burst, and the big pipe began to bulge out at this point. The outer wall, or coat of the artery, luckily stretched and held the blood, or Gantry would have bled to death *in no time. The artery kept on swelling with every pulsation of the patient's heart From the size of a hazelnut the bulge grew and grew until it was larger than a man’s fist. How the artery managed to stand it without banting was a matter for wonder even to the surgeons. Tho least touoh given to the akin over the awaiting caused Gentry horrible pain, and he was obliged to keep very still last any sudden movemm* or Matnot would break aad by the

hemorrhage bring op death. The aneurism oould be seen to beat to all in teats and purposes like any other heart If one brought his ear dose to it he uould hear a constantly repeated flowing or breathing sound coming from beneath the skin. This noise was caused by the vacant air space around the swollea artery where it had crowded the muscles aside. The ether day Or. Marks, decided to operate in order to save Gentry’s life. Tne aneurism was preceptibly growing, and was bound to burst soon. Tim patient was laid upon the operating table and placed under the influence of chloroform. A sharp knife laid the tissues aside and exposed the femoral artery with its apple-shaped bulb. The artery was then tied, or “ligated,” twenty-one inches above and two inches below the swelling, and the big bulb cut open.' Nearly a pint of blood gushed forth and then there was no heart left The slit artery was then sewed together with fine silk threads previously soaked in antiseptic solutions, and left to heal. The ligatures above and below were left to remain, however, until the artery is fully healed. Then they will be untied and the blood allowed to go down Gentry’s leg as usual. In the mean time the patient's limb will receive blood from the smaller arteries, and will in all probability keep from dying.— [St. Louis Globe Democrat