Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 October 1883 — An Amputation. [ARTICLE]

An Amputation.

On Monday last, at the residence residence of Joseph Henkle, in Barkley township, Drs. Loughridge and Bitters, of Rensselaer, and Triplett, of Morocco, amputated the leg of Mr. Nathan Parker, just above the knee. Mr. Parker was formerly a resident of this county, but for some years has been living in Kan5a5......... Some ..-six or eight,, weeks ago, at his home in that state, he cut open his knee joint with a hedge knife. Being incapacitated from labor by the injury, he availed himself of his enforced leasure to come East to visit friends. The wound upon the knee had healed over outwardly,; but within it constantly became) worse, "and was, perhaps, aggrava-1 ted by the necessary exertions of traveling. He has been confined to a bed for some time, at Mr. Henkle’s house, and his rapidly failing condition, together with evident signs of blood poisoning, made it evident that amputation afforded the only possible means of saving his life. The operation was performed Monday, as already stated, the patient being under the influence of chloroform. An examination of the limb, made subsequent to the operation, disclosed a condition which must have resulted in death within a very few days. Extensive p”s cavities were discovered, extending far down inti? the calf of the leg, aiid containing several pint.-yof matter. Later;—Mr Parker died at nine o’clock last night. The blood poisoning liad proceeded so far, before its presence became appar-J ent, that death was inevitable? He i was unconscious most of the time! after the operation, until ho died.