The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1892-12-22
Springtield's Model Hospital.

10 IRE T4Dllof OF LIE ,tot I'm AL. L
wonder if any of your readers have had
any experience with the dreaded disease,
new in name but probably as cd as hui
manity itself appendicitis. 1t is not the
custom of medical men to tlaunt their
achievements for the public eye and ear,
but as | am not a physician | can give my
experience with this dreaded disease to
the public, and perhaps it may meet some
mothers eye who may some time be call
ed on to 90 through with the terrible or
deal which your correspondent did last
may terminate as happily as this one did,
and other dear children he snatched from
death as mine was. AS is probably well
known everywhere now appendicitis is in
Summation of the vermiform appendix, OF
commonly called blind intestine, the little
death trap which lies on the right side
and attached to the main intestine The
presence of this useless appendage is one
Of the strongest proofs of our evolution
from lower state that can be Produced
In the lower animals it is an open tube in
Ise in human beings it is useless and dan
4erous, for food in passing along may be
lodged at that point and produce intlam-
nation; or the appendage may construct
the intestnes and ca Sc an entire stop
page: on inflammation may ensue from a
catarrhal affection OF the appendix. which
has had slow grow til, caused primarily
suppose tor a moment that an allwise
Maker has placed such a useless and dan
gerous thing in the most delicate part of
the human structure is to throw grave
doubts on infinite wisdom. Some pro-
gressive physicians affirm that the tonsils
and thyroid gland are such supertluities,
which are also the seat of dangerous dis
eases 1t is said that human beings are
gradually losing the use of the fifth or
little toe which is hardly more than a
rudiment at best. These things teach us
that we are walking among vestiges of the
past. is it not rational to see in man
creature of descent. now ill the process of
adaptation to a life of ethical purposes?
Il is probable that the mortality which
once en>ued from peritonetis, OF errone-
.pusly called Inflammation of the bowels.
OF stoppage, was due to this little passage.
which is now understood and intelligently
created by the surgeon.
our Young son, age T.. was taken very
suddenly i'll on the 10Th of last June with
4 severe pain in the abdominal region. We
supposed it at first to be an ordinary collie
and tried the usual simple remedies
which, however, failed to lave any effect
and in less than an hour from the time he
was taken he was suffering great pain
md physician was summoned, As soon
rs he examined him he saw at once that
it was well defined and located. Morphia
was given him to still the pain. and hot
applications kept constantly on the abdo-
men, This was Saturday night and he
informed lis that he should come at nine
% clock Sunday morning and if the tenn
perature and pulse should rise. as he had
every reason to suppose they would, he
should have a council of physicians. and
1he probabilities We're that they would
operate on him Immediately as the one
chance to save his life. When Dr.. Hooker
arrived at 9 o clock he evidently saw the
need of counsel. and called Drs Chaplin
md Clark, both. OF in TACT all three, being
>kilful physicians and surgeons. After
holding council they decided to wait a
few nouns, and at nine o clock at night
came again. He was then comparatively
free from pain. owing to the morphia
without which he could not have lived
Tie rise III temperature had not been
enough to indicate immediate danger. and
at nine o clock Monday morning they all
came again and found scarcely any yalia-
ZION from the previous evening.
In the meanwhile the patient had been
kept absolutely without food of any kind
since his first attack. small doses of NOR
phne and little cold water or cracked
ice UtlN1 an lndI NiS allowed. The hot
applications were kept up constantly and
the moment the felt-sponge cooled. it was
again wrung from boiling water and ap-
piled as hot as the patient could bear it.
The Inflammation gradually subsidized and
by Wednesday the morphine was discon-
tinued entirely, and the pangs of hunger
were relieved by small amounts of LIQUID
OF very soft food. The temperature and
pulse We're nearly normal, but in the re-
gion of the appendix, a faint swelling was
discernible, which daily increased in size,
lntil the appendix, which is naturally no
larger than a small pea-pod was evident
IL as large as a fat sausage. The swelling
gradually spread upward, and Dr. Hook
er' 5 theory that it was an abscess, slowly
becoming encased in sac OF membrane.
was conceded in by the other physicians
seven or eight in all having seen him.
We all know that it is the constant desire
Of Nature to heal. A transgression of her
laws NAV cause wounds and suppuration,
BUT she Immediately goes to work in her
aoiseless way to remedy this. Thus in
this case, when suppuration ensued. she