A Life-Saving Surgery in Seattle
After being diagnosed with a malignant growth in his cheek and upper jaw, a local man undergoes a grueling, three-hour surgical procedure to remove the cancer.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Mr. Fairchild was taken to the hospital and laid upon the table. Dr. William E. Helmuth, consulting surgeon, took charge of the case. After the patient was anesthetized, the surgeon made an incision in the trachea to allow the patient to breathe while the main operation was performed. To prevent blood from flowing into the lungs, the upper part of the windpipe was packed. A second incision was made through the upper lip, along the left side of the nose and under the eye to the left ear. The skin of the left cheek was dissected until a large flap was made, exposing the cancerous growth. It had infected all the bones in the cheek and upper jaw. A small saw was used, and the bone under the eye, which was soft, was removed. The cancer had extended to the occipital bone. Using bone forceps, every visible portion was removed. The cancer was drawn out as far as possible, and a strong, steady pull was applied to the roots. The hemorrhage was controlled with an actual cautery. After the operation, which lasted three hours, the patient suffered greatly from shock and lost much blood, but he has been growing stronger steadily and is expected to recover.
“The cancer and its roots were drawn out, leaving a large section of quivering flesh.”
Surgeries like this, performed before the total standardisation of modern oncology or reconstructive facial surgery, were high-stakes, life-or-death gambles. The report highlights both the terrifying physicality of 19th-century medicine and the remarkable resilience of the patient, a stark contrast to modern day-surgery where such interventions are handled with significantly less trauma.
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