Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-10-23
CUTTING OFF ARMS
AND THINGS was ONCE A MUCH MORE UE
ATTRACTIVE BUSINESS
Than It is NOw-HOw They Performed Ampuia'
tons and Cared Minor Complaints in Oldsn
Tnss-Sons Of the Operations
Illustrated.

Specia! Correspondencs Of ne Sunday Registt'I
ST. LOUIS, October 2O.-If any one
doubts that surgery is a progressive
science let him consult Holsters "Gen-
eral System Of Surgery" So far as
known, only three copies Of this work
are extant in the United States. One
Of these Is in the library Of the surgeon
generals office at Washington, and an
other is owned by DR.. L. H. Laidiey, OF
st. Louis. The present whereabouts Of
the third is not definitely known. All
are Of the third edition and were pub
lished In London In 174s.
DIR. Lawrence Holster, the author OF
the work, was professor Of surgery In
the medical department Of a German
university. This circumstance and the
fact that the work passed through
seven or eight editions, are sufficient
evidence that the author was In the
front rank OF his profession and taught
surgery in accordance with the most
advanced scientific knowledge OF MS
day.
The work was written originally IN
Latin. 1t is divided into three parts.
The first treats, according TO the title
mage. of the doctrines and manage
ment of wounds. fractures, luxations,
tpmors. and ulcers" the second OF 'the
several operations performed in all
parts OF the body" ana the third
on "the several bandages applied in all
operations and disorders, the whole
illustrated with SO copper plates, exhi0-
iting all the operations, instruments,
bapdages and improvements, according
10 the modern and most approved prac-
tice, being work OF thirty years ex-
perience.
MUST NOT BE CHCKEN-HEARrED'
But the man-not TO say woman
who examines DR.. Holsters book must
be prepared to shudder. Evidently not
a very great portion of the doctors thir-
~ wears had been devoted TO the culture
Of sympathy. In his preliminary dis
sertation on the qualifications necessary
10 the success OF a surgeon, he says,
quoting with approval from CELSIUS,
noted Roman physician who lived Just
before the dawn OF the Christian era,
surgeon ought TO have san intrepid
mind, void Of all tenderness, so as not
10 be al all moved by the outCries OF his
patient; to use no more haste than the
case requires, nor to cut less than neceS-
sary; but be should actin all respects as
If he was entirely unaffected by his pa
tents complaints The plates-fac-
SMILES Of some OF which are presented
herewith-and the explanation or the
methods in performing operations ''ac-
cordiDg TO the modern and most ap-
proved practice" indicate that the
author attained to his Own ideal 10 the
extent Of having San intrepid mind, de-
void of all tenderness" But there was
greater need OF an "inserpid mind" on
The part OF the surgeon in the day OF
Hester, as we'll as In the day OF CELSIUS,
Than now, for the reason that anaeSthe-
tics we're not then used and the patient
-f-a,ld not be put into state OF 6tssful
n toswskeu gEtA the surgeon
lerIC wOuo.
9l HINTS TO THE PROFESS
he SION.
sscriblng the instruments most
~, -Eis isOr a surgeon TO have as two
asnly.s.-a smaller one for opening veins
and a larger one for opening Assesses
several pairs OF scissors, q pair OF
forceps. a razor and three knives, he
tells how the surgeon should approach
ais patient. He says (the use OF the
capitals in the text is follOwed): "As
soon as introduced to his Patient he
ought in the first place, as HippOcrates
we'll advises, to inquire Of him or his
friends what ails him, where is the seat
Of his Complaint, from what Cause it
proceeds and how long 1t has been upon
him. If there is no particular Object