Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1889-04-06
REWARDS OF SURGERY.
They Come Slowly, But When They ID
Come They Are Pretty Big.

They Come Slowly, But When They Dc
Come They Are Pretty Big.
A conversation with young physi-
clan recently disclosed fact new to the
writer Il should like to go in for sur
gerry" said the NJ. D., ''but can't af-
ford to do so. I'm dependent on MY
profession, and so, though surgery
would pay best in the long run-the
very long run l must stick to what will
bring me in money at once. You see,
the majority of surgical cases involve
poor people, who can't pay. It's the
poor woman in the factory who gets
caught in the machinery, or the poor
man who gets crushed in the street;
their cases demand just as good care as
those of the rich man, but they can't
paw for it. The rich are protected
from the ordinary accidents, and the
proportion of surgical cases among
those who can afford to pay for treat
ment is disproportionate to the whole
number of surgical cases. Besides, the
poor go to the hospitals for surgical
tity of medical cases, requiring COM
paratively little care but bringing in a
constant stream of small amounts; and,
as the Scotch say: Many a mickle
makes a muckIe, and Pm looking after
the mickles perhaps 'nickels' would
be an American translation-hoping to
get my muckle. Once in a while, of
course, a rich man requires danger
Gus surgical operation, and then, OF
course. big fees are paid; but l can't
afford to wait for that while"
One case, such as the young doctor
spoke of, was that of a we1l-knoWn
young fellow on whose face had grown
huge, goatee-like excrescence, dis
figuring him frightfully, causing him
great inconvenience, and at last becom-
ing positively dangerous to his health.
At last one of New York's big surgeons
undertook to remove it. Two opera
tions were necessary, with long inter-
val between them. The surgeon and
his chief assistant performed them, and
the fees, in popular report, ranged
from SO, 1000 to 100000 for the chief,
and from S., 900 to $4,000 for the as
sistant Yet even the larger amounts
would not have reimburse them for the
study necessary in fitting themselves to
do the operation. As the darby ex-
planned to his master: Il done charge
you fifty GEMS fer KILN de cahf, sab,
an one dollah fer de know-how." It's
the cost of acquiring the ''know-how"
that keeps many young doctors on the
medical side of their profession.
In connection with this case, it may
be said that it was great triumph for
American surgery. The young man
had applied to all the best surgeons in
Great Britain and in Europe, and from
each of them he heard his death SEN
tence: 1--WE can't operate. Any oper-
alton will merely kill you more quickly
than the growth itself. Go home, put
your affairs in order, and live as long
as you cam" He did live as long as he
could; he is living now; and that he IS
is due to the courage of an American
surgeon in crisis before which for
eigners sat helpless.
A similar triumph was that won by
distinguished alienist of Philadelphia.
The head of one of the largest insane
asylums of this country, DESTROYS of
studying the most approved methods of
treating the insane, went abroad to visit
the foreign hospitals. He called on one
of the greatest European specialists, and
explained his intentions. my dear
SIR" said the Frenchman, ego home;
90 home, and go to the Philadelphia
hospital; there you will find man who
knows more than any of us, whose
methods are perfect, whom we all study
and reverence" The American went
home and learned that the Frenchman
was right.
1t may be remarked that both ofthese
distinguished Americans are dead.-N.
Y. Sun.