Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-10-15

OF TIE con- pAHiss ia our state lafe
adopted rs msia features, only one,
believe. not having yet done go.
Basis OF Railway suFssry.
Railway surgery, il S needless 10 say,
rests on broad basis Of general sur
gerry. The prescripEs and methods OF
that noble art, the recent strides
Which are indeed marvellous, are
the common property OF all
But the railway surgeon has q
held OF bis Own. AS railway surgeon
be deals exclusively with the results OF
yloleneei With hurts and injurles-ln-
jures which take Infinite variety OF
form and every degree OF severity.
snen being the character or bis work
he IS vitality interested ia the great sub
lect OF asepsis aud antlsepsls- But
refer 10 them now only 70 express my
esumation OF their Immense value n
railway tranmatIsms.
There are some studies which belong
very appropriately 10 the department
OF surgery, but | can refer only TO one
or TWO. The tremendous momentum
OF moving trans, for example, seems 10
lnlpart some peculiaritles 10 injuries
resulting from collision, derailment
and the like. Does the impact III such
case deyltalise the tissues more extern
sively or more profoundly than do or
binary Injuries? IL the shock IN rail-
way accidents greater than or different
from tina, OF ordinary injuries!
The railway surgeon, too. must clear
up or help 10 clear up the obscurity
which now rests upon the subject OF
the so called spinal injuries from rail-
way accidents. The symptoms, dag
noses, pathology and results of these
cases need TO be more thoroughly IN
yestigated. Ii is probable that profess
sional and propular views concerning
them need revision. At all events We
must learn to distinguish~cases that
are real from those that are unreal
and feigned. We know that there
are instances of injury, now
called spinal, which are real
and serious, and which entail
long suffering and disability. We also
know that there are many spurious
cases feigned and cultivated with con-
sumate art and with endless persist
ence for the base purpose of fraud and
in the hope of enrichment.
should Have Exclusive Control.
Railway surgeons must lesrn how to
draw q clear line between these cases.
They must also learn how to make
juries see that line, difficult task l
know.
One thing more. gentlemen, and
then, though topics press upon me,
shall cease to detain you. When a
serious accident occurs on any line
panic, confusion and brainless excite.
ment are apt to spring up and rule the
hour. Every one present suggests
something or tries to do something,
and wrong or useless things are often
done. Many contradictory directions
are given and doctors from all over
the country are sent for, by whom no
| one knows. In fine. everything is
furry and disorder. What Is needed
| is some cool, clear-neaded person to
take command. The one TO do that il
the company surgeon. AS soon as he
| reaches the scene he should, IN my de-
liberats opinion, take control and
keep 1t until the occasion is over. He
should direct everything and allow
nothing TO be done contrary to his
| plans. If he is himself clear-headed,
quiet and firm he will find no d. iii
| Guilty IN doing this. The panic subsidies
and order comes out of the confusion.
The sufferers are cared for in prompt
and orderly way aud the company il
| saved from much unnecessary expense.
| 1t generally happens on these occas-
| ions that many bills are made and ex-
| penses incurred that would not be-
made o. incurred if matters were un-
| der the exclusive control of an inteili-
gent surgeon.
The Program.
The association extended DR.. John
son vote of thanks for his able al
| dress.
DR.. w. II. Meyers of Fl. Wayne reac
q paper on "CranIal and Intra-CranIa
| Injuries" 1t excited much discussion
concerning the patients probable los
of memory IN regard TO tue events i'm
mediately preceding accidents in which
the head was seriously injured. Tn,
probability of the patients being abb,
to testify accurately was discussed. anS
different members related personal ex
perences to show that the injured per
son did not retain accurate impression
of what mad taken place immediatel,
| preceding the accident.
+. J. Pendall of Marshall discussed
Two Cases of Traumstic Mastoid Alb
scess." At the close of this DR.. Emme
WEIGH OF TINS city gave his experience,
in treating such cases, he having mad
a special study of them. DR.. F. ). Bo
nine OF Niles, who had also made
special study of the disease, discusses
the psper. Both he snd DR.. WEIGH dit
not favor operations except in sor
cases. DR.. Graves of this city and Dr
Mullen of Michigan City favored ope
rations. DR.. Taylor of Kalamazoo ais
favored operations IN case of pus.
DR.. K. K. Lawrence of Hartford reat
a paper entitled "Cere bro-Spinal Con
cuss or Traumatic Neuroses."
| Dr.. Z. II. White of Reed City, VIII
was on the program for a discussion o
Bed Sores of Spinal Traumatism,
was absent.
DR.. f. c. Taylor OF Kalamazoo rea
81 paper entitled 1.-TWO Recent Asepti
Cases" Many of the papers we're gen
orally discussed by those present. A
the close of tue regular program spt
cisl cases were reported, and the meet
ing adjourned.
The courtesIes of the Peninsula clu
were extended 10 the surgeon, durln
their stay IN the city.
Handy's Accident Was Fatal
Thomas Handy, the man whose lie
was cut eft Thursday evening by q G
. I A =