The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-04-13

plainly stated. is to make an incision, ex-
posing the intestines. and. after the appen-
dix vermiformis, or small intestine. Is
reached to tie it up and cut it of. In such
cases, we frequently find that a small
abscess has formed in the intestine. This
operation is now resorted TO by all the lead
ing surgeons at every favorable opportunity
as it affords the best chance of saving the
patient The results are uniformly encour-
aging.
Another delicate operation is suture of
the inteStines This Is performed when
they are injured by stabs or gunshot
wounds. Under the old system, the pa
tents were in most instances left TO live or
die, and 50 per cent. did actually die, when
laparotomy was unknown. Now the belly
is opened and the wounded intestines are
sewed together. The saving of life by this
latter-day triumph of surgical skill is con-
siderable, probably 80 per cent. recovering.
Extreme precaution is essential in such
cases. The slightest haste, the overlooking
of wound or tie lowering of the tempera-
ture in the room while the patient is ex-
posed, may produce fatal results"
Cancer OF the stomach" said l, sis at
tracing much attention from eminent ply
sicians here and abroad, with the view of
deciding whether it is the result of mic
robe or a cell growth. How is it regarded
by surgeonsl'
with the conflicting opinions of medical
experts we have nothing TO do. Bilroth,
the distinguished Viennese surgeon, is the
leading authority on the treatment of can
GER The first surgical attempts to treat
stomach cancer were directed
to its removal by incision; but
that method has been abandoned. We
now establish new connection between the
stomach and the small intestine by sewing
the latter to the stomach at a point removed
from the seat of tine cancer, and in such a
way that the afflicted part is left or isolated.
Nobody can get right at the cancer TO treat
it surgically, of course, so it is allowed to
remain as l have explained. This method
relieves the patient of much of the pain and
discomfort; although, OF course, the cancer
probably stays with him as long as he lives.
Until comparatively recent date lung
troubles were not treated surgically. The
first attempts at surgical treatment were
made fifty or sixty years ago, but then in
very rare cases. Now SUCH treatment has
become an everyday affair in our hospitals.
We tap the chest and apply drainage tubes.
This method was considered revolution
airy, and was rather unpopular until
few years ago; but its value has now
been sufficiently demonstrated. The treat
ment of throat troubles too has been prac-
tically revolutionized. For tumor the
larnyx is cut out in severe cases. Here,
again. Prof. Billroth is the pioneer In the
application of surgical measures, and he has
handled some difficult cases very success
fully. The excislon OF the larnyx has been
performed successfully in this country also,
within a very recent date.
"Tumors and assesses of the brain are
more frequent than is generally supposed.
The new treatment is to operate by drain
age tubes at once after the case has bean
diagnosticated, and 1 must say 1t is very
successful in many cases. Numerous in
stances have arisen where the patients have
been saved, while under the old system,
deaths from this cause was inevitable. 1t is
popular mistake TO imagine that insanity
follows as the result of an abscess or tumor
on the brain, however.
Surgery has made great progress in
dealing with kidney diseases also. Stones
in the kidneys taat were formerly left to
themselves, ultimately causing death, are
now diagnosticated and extracted. lin these
cases the patients owe their lives to the
surgeon. 1t is not infrequent where kidney
has been destroyed by disease to remove it
altogether and let the patient live with a
single kidney. Such operations are uni
, formiy successful"