Page:Recovery from the passage of an iron bar through the head.djvu/3



the pleasure of being able to present to you, to-day, the history and sequel of a case of severe injury of the head, followed by recovery, which, so far as I know, remains without parallel in the annals of surgery. The case occurred nearly twenty years ago, in an obscure country town (Cavendish, Vt.), was attended and reported by an obscure country physician, and was received by the Metropolitan Doctors with several grains of caution, insomuch that many utterly refused to believe that the man had risen, until they had thrust their fingers into the hole of his head, and even then they required of the Country Doctor attested statements, from clergymen and lawyers, before they could or would believe–many eminent surgeons regarding such an occurrence as a physiological impossibility; the appearances presented by the subject being variously explained away.

It is due to science, that a case so grave, and succeeded by such remarkable results, should not be lost sight of; that its subsequent history, termination, and pathological evidences in detail, should have a permanent record. My desire to lay before the profession the sequel of this case, has not permitted me to remain altogether oblivious as to the whereabouts of my patient, and after tracing him in his wanderings over