The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-02-19

umphs of the intellect over obstacles OF cvory con-
ceivable species the Of the surgeon. HIS enor
nous arsenal Of instruments, the large number OF
recognized opcrations-whilo they tell an eloquent
story Of human misery-are more eloquent still OF
tho ingenuity and devotion applied through ages
to tho alienation Of that misery. Surgery was labor
Of discovery from the FIRST How many wretches bled
to death from simple wounds before the most prm-
tive for tho of hemorrhage were con-
ceived; how many others killed by the appica-
ton OF the OF primitive surgery
that followed another in the centuries before some
great made the Of the uses Of the ga-
ture-a little weapon trivial, SO commonplace now
but greater than tho discovery OF America by compare
with all the resources Of surgery that went before
IL?
The Oldest of human arts has moro great discoveries
In record than any other art practsed by men, yet
it has scarcely than for every century of It's
extence for tho history OF It's progress has been that
tho ten thousand surgeons have practiscd always tho
methods and operations originated by some ono moro
perccptive skul than the rest and waited for an
other In thousand to carry the art step FUR
Their II Is for this reason perhaps, that notwith-
standing the art has been practsed by millions OF
men, one can count on his fingers tho surgeons whose
names have made worldwide impression and that
are remembered through the lapse OF years.
1t to suppose that the inventive surgeon
Is merely adventurous OPERATOR VINO taxes Ecckiess
chances on human life. He is tho who saves the
art and therefore thousands OF other lives than
those OF his immediate patients He is the man who
observes the relations made for his art by the
growth of knowledge in physiology, in mechanics, in
all the sciences may be brought TO bear upon tho
case before him, and he presses that new knowledge
into the service with brilliant success, where the
plodder would have gone forever in the quiet way
There are words in the preface OF tho book 10
that put happily tho point OF the relations
of courage and prudence in the good surgeon:-
In some OF the cases contained in these contribu-
tions the methods essentially curatvc-as In the
OF the entire una the OF the
entire radius, where tho amputaton OF tho entire
member is nvoidcd In others the methods are purely
operative; but whether curative or operative hatcr
myself that they are entitled to consideration, in
many Instances, on tho ground OF originality OF con-
ceptiop And may add here that while respect for
lie will dictate the surgeon tho greatest prudence
will counsel him to attempt operation which he
would not DO willing to perform on his own child-t
will also teach him that II the extremes Of holiness
are to be Stunned. pusianimiiy IS not the necessary
alternative. Tho surgeon who has not sufficient
courage propose useful operation, and sufficient
skill to perform IT, Is open to censurc as the rcckle
practitioner who Is swayed by the unworthy lure OF
notoricty
Our observations on originality in surgery are
naturally suggested by the on the title page.
DR.. Carnochan's name is associated honoraby with
those OF generation OF surgeons that has we'll nigh
passed away, and Is distinctly identified as leading
one in the great feature that is most entitled to intel
lcctual cminence in surgery. II is distinction o
American surgery that II Is inventive above surgery
all other countries; that 1t possesses In pcculia
degree the best distinctive feature OF surgical art
the body of evidence presented in the history OF
included In the plan OF DR.. Carnochan's volume viii
establish his right TO honorable distinction for thi
particular in the number OF tho great surgeons thi
country has produced.