CHERRY SEED IN THE BODY

A Cherry Seed Was Removed From the Wound Made by the Operation On Miss Padgham

HAD BEEN IN THE FLESH FOR MANY WEEKS

No Doubt This Was What Prevented the Wound From Healing as it Should

[From a Newspaper Clipping]

Saturday night Dr. Ross removed a substance from the wound in Miss Padgham’s side, which proved to be a cherry seed.

Her trouble has been a peculiar one and it was difficult to tell just what was the cause of it. It seems from the present knowledge of the case that this cherry seed had caused appendicitis. The disease acted in a strange way and the seat of trouble seemed to be higher than usual for that disease. Putting all the symptoms together, however it was decided that it could be nothing else than appendicitis and that it had gone to a point where an abscess had been produced by the sluffing off of her appendix. Instead of making the incision in the usual place Doctors Priestly and McCarthy, at Mercy Hospital found it necessary to make it at a point higher and farther around on the side. According to all the authorities there is but one mode of treatment and that was to drain the abscess with a tube and not to attempt to make any examination of the seat of the trouble.

This they did and the patient became rapidly very much improved. She has gained very much in strength and flesh. She was brought home to Perry and continued to improve in general health but the wound would not heal. There was a continuous discharge of matter. A few days ago, Dr. Ross concluded there was some foreign substance in it. The lump of matter seemed to be larger on the outside and having its apex inward. He told Miss Padgham to be on the lookout for the appearance of anything at the surface. Saturday noon she felt some movement in the wound, but could not describe it and as it was difficult to get at she did not examine it until evening. At that time the doctor was summoned and with his forceps he removed a little round object and put it in a bottle with the intention of determining what it was. It in every way resembled a cherry seed. It would be possible, and it is common in cases of appendicitis for a hard substance to form in the appendix and remain there until taken away by the surgeon. It was not thought however by Dr. Ross that such a substance could remain intact so long in the condition this was found. He has since satisfied himself from an examination of it under a glass that it is nothing else than a cherry seed.

As the surgeons in the hospital forced water from the opening where the appendix sluffed off, and out through the wound, there could be no doubt that the trouble was in the appendix and this seed has no doubt been in the body all this time, after causing all the inflammation and trouble that produced her sickness.

It has been about eight weeks since Miss Padgham went to Des Moines and as the pit must have been causing mischief weeks before that it will be seen that it must have been there at least some months.

Everything now points to the early recovery of the afflicted pastor and it will indeed be good news to her anxious friends here and in the east. She has been calm and patient through all of her illness and suffering, much more so than is usual in such cases. Her church in New York has been patiently waiting for her recovery and have been having pulpit readings in place of sermons and sending her salary to her.

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Prepared for web page display on April 1, 2006