Extracting a Silver Dollar

about 1895

Silver Dollar Removed

From Oesophagus of Henry Robinson, Age 24, Located at Oesophagel Orifice of Diaphram, Swallowed May 24th 1885 at 10 AM Removed June 2nd 1885 at 9 PM  By H.C. Holton

SILVER DOLLAR IN THE OESOPHAGUS: EXTRACTION

BY HENRY C. HOLTON, M.D. ARCHIE, ILL.

On the morning of May 24, at 10:30 o'clock, Henry Robison, a young man 24 years of age, came to my office to have a silver dollar, which he had swallowed one-half hour previously, removed from his throat. 

The accident occurred while playing with a little child. He was lying on his back and had the coin in his mouth, or rather between his lips, when the child reached for it, but instead of grasping it, she accidentally struck it with her hand and knocked it into his throat. The coin got beyond his control before he could stop it. I made several efforts to reach it with a pair of forceps about eight inches in length, but failed. 

At this time Dr. Odbert, of Indianola, called on me and was invited to examine the case. He had a pair of forceps about two inches longer than mine, at his office. We repaired to Indianola at once, and his forceps were introduced, but to no avail. Dr. Odbert and I then drove to Danville to try to get proper instruments for its removal. Failing to find them there, we immediately dispatched to Philadelphia for forceps, and in due time they arrived. In the meantime Mr. Robison was kept on a liquid diet. 

On the evening of the second day of June we operated. Dr. O. introduced an esophageal bougie into his throat for the purpose of locating the coin, which he succeeded in doing at a distance of nine and one-half inches from the front teeth in upper jaw, or at the esophageal opening of diaphragm. I then introduced a pair of forceps and succeeded in grasping and withdrawing the dollar from his throat. This is the only successful operation in my knowledge where so large a foreign body has been extracted from the oesophagus, so low down. 

Thinking perhaps this case may be of interest to the many readers of your valuable journal, I respectfully submit it. 

from The Peoria Medical Monthly; Vol. VI; June 1885, No. 2; page 85