Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 January 1885 — A Remarkable Recovery. [ARTICLE]

A Remarkable Recovery.

One of the most remarkable recoveries from awful injury that is on record was that of Mr. D. J. Starbuck, then of this city, who was freight conductor on the Davenport & Brooklyn division of the Chicago, Bock Island & Pacific, He went down with a bridge in his caboose in lowa City, and nearly the whole of the left side of his head was crashed in. Dr. Peck removed the broken pieces of sknll, trimmed the jagged edges of what remained even, and left an exposure of the brain in a space three and a half by four inches in extent, and then the skin was induced to form over the opening and a silver plate was made to cover and protect the thin membrane. Mr. Starbuck regained his health fully, but he had to, be very careful with the left side of his head, as an accident to the film which covered his brain would have been disastrous. All this occurred some fourteen years ago, and after three or fonr years residence here and in Moscow, Mr. Starbuck went Away, no one knew whither. Now it turns out that he is in Boston, alive, well, and prospering, and a curiosity to the medical profession.—Davenport ( Iowa ) Democrat