Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1881-03-03
An Important surgical Discovery.
IFrom Cincinnati commerdk.l


cal WocheHschrin. The operation was
performed by Professor Billroth and his
students. BE wrote the report of it him
self. so gratified was he at his success.
The thing done was no less than the
successful removal Of cancer from the
stomach. Professor Billroth calls the
process stomach resection." II involved
opening the stomach, cutting out the
cancer. uniting the edges again. and
then watching for the result as only
those watch who understand what
such thrilling experiment means.
1t had never before been performed in
the history of the world, and il was sue
cessful. Cancer Of the stomach is class
ed among incurable diseases. Sufferers
from this terrible ailment are found in
all classes of life. II hereafter. then,
they are to he relieved and cured. what
a discovery is this that Professor Bill
roth has made.
Preliminary to describing the case.
the Professor refers to previous expert
ments in this direction. which have grad
ually led up to the final climax. He
mentions that seventy years ago young
German physician, Karl Theodore Mer-
rem. performed an interesting series Of
experiments on dogs He showed that
the lower orifice of the stomach could
be cut away and the stomach united di-
rectly to the intestine. and recovery take
place after the operation. OF three dogs
treated in this manner, two survived
and recovered. Even then DIR. Merrsm
ventured to state his conviction that a
cancer could be successfully removed
from the lower opening of the human
stomach, in this manner. At that time,
though, the very close similarity be-
tween bodies and those of other animals
was not so well understood as it is now.
Neither had operative surgery progress
ed so far as it has since;and so the expert
ments and the prediction of the daring
young doctor fell dead upon his genera
tion. The significance of his work was
not understood.
So the matter rested for full sixty wears.
In 1871, DR.. Billroth himself took up the
subject again. beginning his practice on
dogs. Doctors seem to have spite at
dogs. On different occasions he cut out
pieces from the alimentary canal of
large dogs. drew the edges of the hole
together, and had the pleasure OF seeing
it heal over successfully. The canal
was somewhat smaller, afterwards. at
the place where the piece had been re,
moved. but still it was easily distended.
The Professor himself. however, was
not the first to apply the process to a
human being. DR.. Czerny had that hon
or. He operated successfully on the
larynx. A few years later. DR.. Billroth
removed some cacerous growths which
had filled human larynx. Other sur
geons made yet other minor experiments.
"This for the satisfaction of those who
are of the opinion that my operation was
only crazily venturesome experiment
on mankind" says Professor Billroth.
The Professor and his students prepared
for their great operation verv carefully
Surgeons who had performed similar op
erations on animals had arrived at this
fixed conclusion: stomach resection
must and will succeed"
The cancer was very large one. The
Professor says he was "joyfully amazed
at the rapidity with which his patient be-
gan to recover. The form of the stomach
he assures us, is scarcely altered by the
piece that was cut out. 1t is only made
slightly smaller. He had expected much
disturbance in the stomach and local ir.
ritation; when therefore, everything
went on in comparatively quiet way,
without any of these unfavorable symp-
toms, he scarcely dared believe it could
continue. A relapse into the patients
for at any time he thought, and against
this, nothing could be done. But the re-
lapse did not occur. A few days after
the operation, at the urgent entreaty of
the patient, he changed her to large
ward shared by a number of patients in
common, because she found herself so
lonesome in an isolated room. AT first
after the operation the patient was only
given milk for nourishment. On the
seventh day tea and coffee were added to
her diet. No unpleasant effects follow
ed. Her temperature was almost normal,
and her pulse was stronger and quiettr
than before the operation. She slept
well, and complained of no great pain.
At last accounts there was every reason
to look for her perfect recovery. The
story of the famous surgeons successful
operation is scarcely less interesting to
the general public than to the medical
profession themselves. No wonder the
happy Doctor is moved to say:
II hope we have again made good
step forwards in the work of healing
human beings hitherto regarded as in
durable. or, in case of return of the can
cerous affections at least to relieve them
for period 0: time. You will. perhaps,
pardon me if feel a certain pride in the
fact that through the labors of my stud