Thursday, December 21, 2017

On This Date in Minnesota History: December 21

December 21, 1903 – After lingering over a month in the shadow of death, Minier Simard, the carpenter who was injured Nov. 14 while at work on the West Publishing Company’s new addition downtown St. Paul, is now so far recovered as to be able to walk about. Today he was taken from the city hospital to the home of a brother after being confined to bed five weeks.


West Publishing Company 18911

When Simard was struck down by a heavy timber that he was carrying with three fellow workmen, his skull was fractured at the base of the brain and so badly was he injured that it was at first thought he had been killed outright. A call was sent for Coroner Miller, but Dr. Moore, police surgeon, who arrived in response to a summons, discovered that the man was alive. Blood flowed from Simard’s ears, mouth and nose, and it seemed as though death was imminent. He was hurried to the hospital, where he was attended by the house physicians and Dr. A. W. Whitney. While suffering from the fractured skull, his condition was complicated by the house nephritis that developed as a result of the shock of the injury, and for weeks he seemed close to death.

With remarkable vitality, however, he rallied and gradually recovered strength and consciousness. He still suffers slight paralysis, however. His sense of smell is somewhat impaired and one eyelid is paralyzed.

To overcome the defect of the eyelid that he is unable to open, Simard has invented a contrivance by which he holds the lid up, giving him use of his vision. The invention consists of a combination of rubber straps with a small clamp to lift and hold up the eyelid.

Dr. Whitney says that Simard will be able to go back to work as soon as he recovers his strength. Is recovery is regarded as remarkable.

The St. Paul Globe; “He Leaves Hospital. Minier Simard’s Recovery Surprises Physicians.”; Dec. 22, 1903; p. 2.

1https://img.apmcdn.org/c85d20f85101efe427a9ab4aeb63428b788a29b9/uncropped/b73c82-20150529-west01.jpg

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