The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1889-02-21
THE REWARDS OF SURGERY.
They Come Slowly. but When They Do
Come They Are Pretty Big.

A conversation with young ply
sician recently disclosed n fact new to
the writer Il should like to go in for
surgery" said the NJ. d., ..but can't
afford to do so. I'm dependent on
my profession, and So. though surgery
would pay best in the long run-the
very long rum must stick to what
will bring me in money ut once. You
see, the majority of surgical cases in
volve 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 pay for it. The rich are pro-
tected from the ordinary accidents,
and the proportion of surgical cases
among those who can afford to pay for
treatment is disproportiOnate to the
whole number of surgical cases. Be-
sides, the poor go to the hospitals for
treatment Now there are any quantity
of medical cases, requiring cOmpara-
lively little care. but bringing in a
constant stream of small amounts;
and as the Scotch say. Many a
mickle makes muckle,' and I'm look
ing after the mickles-perhaps .nickeis'
would be an American translation
hoping to get my muckle. Once in q
while, of course, rich man requires
a dangerous surgical operation, and
then. of course, big fees are paid; but
can't afford to wait for that while"
One case, such as this young doctor
spoke of, was that of well-known
young fellow on whose face had grown
huge goatee-like eXcrescence, dis
figuring him frightfully, causing him
great Inconvenience, and at last be-
coming positively dangerous to his
health. At last one of New YOrk's
big surgeons undertook to remove it.
| Two operations were necessary, with
IL long interval between them. The
! surgeon and his chief assistant per-
formed them, and the fees, in popular
report, ranged from $4,000 to $780,
| 600 for the chief, and from 5000 to
$50, 900 for the assistant. Yet even
| the larger amounts would not have re-
| imbursed them for the study neces-
| sarv in fitting themselves to do the
operation. As the darky explained TO
| his master: Il done charge you fifty
GEMS fer KILN de cahf, sab, an one
| dollah fer de knOw-how." Its the cost
of acquiring the ''knOw-hown that
keeps many young doctors on the
medical side Of their profession.
In connection with this case. it may
be said that it was a great triumph for
American surgery. The Young man
had applied to all the best surgeons i'm
Great Britain and in Europe, aud from
each of them he heard his death SEN
tence: "We can't operate. Any
operation will merely kill you more
quickly than the growth itself. Go
| home put your affairs in order, and
live as long as yen can" He did live as
long as he cou,d; .ie is living now; and
that he is is due to the courage of an
American surgeon in crisis before
which foreigners sat helpless.
A similar triumph was that won by q
distinguished alicnist of Philadelphia.
The head of one of the largest insane
asvlums of this country. desirOus of
studying the most approved methods
of treating the insane, went abroad to
visit The foreign hospitals. lie called
on one of the greatest European
specialists. and explained his inten-
tions. ''Mv dear, sir, said the French
man, s'go home: go home and go to the
Philadelphia Hospitals; there you will
find man who knows more than any
of us, whose methods are perfect,
wnom we all study and reverence
The American went home and learned
that the Frenchman was right.
1t may be remarked that both OF
these distinguished Americans are
dead.-NeaO York Sun.