Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-06-22

diversified individuality. A fair example c
my meaning will be found in the changes c
opinion, fortified apparently by exper
ment, on the nature of cell life an
cell development, that have taken place i
the last forty years. We thought we had
all settled then, but now we are not quite sur
whether even our present demonstrated trutl
may not prove the threshold demon guarding
| the entrance upon secrets still beyond.
There is a strong probability that some O
the socalled new discoveries in cell life are bu
the rehabilitation of old friends under nev
names, for there is mild mania which lead
eXpermentists and monagraphists to coin nev
and strange names, made from the skimming
of The old Greek cauldron, and applied t,
things already named from the same source
but observed under different circumstances
with different instruments and appliances.
There can be nothing more deceptive thar
the results of observations under the micro
scope, obtained by different observers, ant
with different instruments. One observer find:
certain well defined objects under his objec
glass, and with the aid of the camera, figures
them in his book, and straitway certain Other
observers deny the existence of such objects
because their eyes and instruments do not dis
cover them, but something totally different
In this difference in results all the observer:
may be equally honest, but in all microscopic
experiments with Instruments of any
high powers, there must necessarily
occur different results, and this will
continue till all the eyes of observers
are equal in eliminating force, and an optician
makes perfect microscope
With instruments of lower power, all eyes
will see alilf;.
The difference in the powers of addition, on
the part Of auscultators, gives to the diagnos-
tltion a world of trouble in diagnosing dis
eases of the heart and lungs. 1t is a fact that
very few ears are attuned to distinguish
distinctive difference of sounds, and the same
sound will be given different Specification by
different persons, and if these persons happen
to be specialists in chest diseases, their defni-
tions and comparisons of sounds indicating
the same lesion, will be most bewilderingly
confusing to the pupil who tries to follow all
the best authorities. Another source of be-
wilderment to the tyro is the different sounds
observed in patients laboring under the same
disease, with apparently the same local LESSONS
as manifested by the general symptoms, and
he thumbs one great authority after another,
to enable him to reconcile the irreconcilable
There are few simple sounds that may be
relied upon as diagnostic of the same lesion
IN great majority of cases; but those finer
many so=called specialists, as certainly dag
nostic of certain we'll defined LESSONS in every
case, are entirely too scientific for the ordinary
professional tact A very great number of
these ''shaded sounds" belong to cases that
never die of the disease diagnosed, and, with
out an autopsy, there can be no verification of
the diagnosis. Resonance and dullness on per-
ception may de detected and mapped out by
the ordinary ear, so may the crepitus, and the
dry and mucous rales of bronchial disturbance
and the bellous and sibilant or whistling, and
fJa phnnis connAc Of in l,,,,rr
So also, the ordinary ear may detect certain
changes in valves of the heart, as well as the
crasis of the fluid passing through them and
detect eXaltati on or diminutiOn in the hearts
force, but many of the sounds of the heart are
similar in different LESSONS of the organ, and
not unfrequently fatal disease of the heart
goes on to final catastrophe without being de-
tected at all. Far be it from my object to de-
preciate the Importance of the real
contributions of microscopy and auscuttution
to our means of Investigation and diagnosis,
but the confidence with which some specialists
utter their dicta to the profession, as being er
cathedra, makes it necessary to take cogni-
zance of the fact that sights and sounds are
sometimes uncertain, and the perceptive
powers of even the most gifted of men are
limited.
1t may be taken as q rule, that the man who
draws the finest distinctions, and detects the
slightest changes from normality, in making
a diagnosis, is very humaA, and liable to err.
There have been many noted improvements
in the art of surgery, prominent among which
are EsmOrch's bloodless operations, and
Listers antiseptic methods. There are not two
opinions as to the advantages of bloodless
operations, but there is diversity of opinion
amongst leading surgeons, as to all that is
claimed for Listerism. On the one hand,
Lister and his followers produce the evidence
of statistics 10 prove that the antiseptic
method reduces the rate of deaths from ope-
rations of all kinds, while the doubters claim
that the same measures to secure cleanliness,
and exclude disease germs, will give as good
results without the carbolic spray and COM
plex dressings. However the question may
be decided in the end, there can be no doubt
that greater care in the preparation of the
patient before the operation, and the exclusion
of possible disease germs, will materially re-
duce the death rate from operations, and yet,
some of us here present, have seen operations
of the gravest character performed, with dull
knives, dirty hands, filthy sponges, soiled
towels and sloppy water as accompanlments,
and the patients have made phenomen ally
good recoveries. When patient has been
operated upon after Listers method and re-
covers, it is claimed as success for Listersm,
while if he dies, it is asserted that some small
part Oi lHt pure 14lSleT lHluuIiG was omitted.
Surgeons Will for a long time be divided on
the question of, to spray or not to spray, but
the general proposition ofcomplete cleanliness
as adjunct to all operations will not be dis
puted, and it is more than probable that, the
exclusion of water from cut or abraded sur
faces in operations may find some able advo-
Gates on the principle that pure blood is the
best dressing for fresh wounds, and the best
bond of union, when cut surfaces are placed
in opposition. Certainly, water freely applied
to wounded surfaces, that should unite by
first intention, dilutes the blood, washes out
the albumen and brine, and blanches the sur
faces so as to render union by agglutination
very improbable.
bolic spray on Lester's plan, partially coagu-
lates the albumen, and fixes the filrine of the
blood upon freshly cut surfaces, and thus OBJ
viates the bad effects of pure water aud facili-
tates agglutination.
Long before Lesterism was announced /
had been in the habit of avoiding the appli-
cation of water-soaked sponges to surfaces
intended for union, and before placing the
parts in opposition, | smeared the surfaces
with glyceroe of carbolic acid, one part of
acid to seven of glycerine. The effect was to
coagulate the albumen of the effused blood on
the surfaces, turning them dull white, and
after mopping off all the redundant moisture
with clean dry towel l closed the wounds and
never had any but the most satisfactory re-
suits. We have now prepared antiseptlc alb
sorbent cotton that promises to supercede as a
top dressing all more filthy and complex dress
ings to fresh wounds. Within the past quar-
ter of a century new department has been
added to the circle of the sciences and art of
medico.surgery. AI allude to Gynecology, and
a large class of diseases and disabilities that
overshadowed the lives of thousands of
Heavens last best gift" has passed under its
rule, to become amenable to treatment
and its resulting restoration to health.
Twenty years ago, gyn@cology, as separate
department in the science of knowing, and the
art of healing diseases of unimpregnated
women, was almost unknown in the profes-
sion. 1t had no literature, and its pioneers
were almost taboed from the higher circles of
scientific physicians and surgeons, and their
researches and methods were sneered at as i'm.
modest and immoral. The speculiem uteri
was denounced as most shameful invention