Rash's Surname Index
Notes for Evan O'Neill KANE
Kane Doctor Amazed Medical World in 1921
The operation - a common appendectomy, performed many times throughout history before this day in 1921, becomes an extraordinary event in the little town of Kane. Doctor Evan O'Neill Kane, whose father was the founder of the town, wanted to prove something to the medical world. It was his belief that ether was being used far too often when less dangerous local anesthetics could be used. So he set out to perform an appendectomy using only a local anesthetic. This would not be amazing in itself until the patient is known. The patient was Dr. Kane, the 60-year-old Chief Surgeon of Kane Summit Hospital. He removed his own appendix.
To accomplish this he was propped up on the operating room table with a mirror over his abdomen. Three other doctors looked on, in case of trouble, as he began to make the necessary incision for the removal of the vermiform appendix. In those days this procedure called for a much larger incision than today's Band-Aid surgery. With his skilled hands he located the inflamed tissue and carefully removed it from his intestine. Assistants then sutured the wound. This was neither Dr. Kane's first self-surgery, nor his last. In 1919 he amputated one of his own fingers. Then in 1932, at age 70, he performed an operation on himself to correct an inguinal hernia that had bothered him since he was first injured in 1926 while riding horseback. This was the most dangerous of the three operations that he did because of the close proximity to the femoral artery. The suture needle must penetrate within one-eighth of an inch of this important artery.
Source: http://www.kanehosp.com/getpage.php?name=history
| HOME | EMAIL | SURNAMES |
Return to The Pennocks of Primitive Hall website.
The information in this database may contain errors. If you find any questionable data, or if you have something to add my findings, please feel free to e-mail me by clicking on the "E-MAIL" link above. Thank you!
Page built by Gedpage Version 2.21 ©2009 on 07 July 2020