Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-06
A TROUBLESOME SAC.
Is the Vermiform Appendix, Which
is Now Famous
On ACCOUNT OF SURGICAL SKILL
Why Grape and Apple Seeds Are Dangerous
Things to Swallow.
WHERE THE JOKER is LOCATED

Ihere has been great deal written ano
said In the last few weeks in regard to the
surgical operation technically known as the
amputation of the vermiform appendix.
The operation is one of unusual interest,
not only on account of the effective cures
which have recently been accomplished in
the cases of several well-known men, but
from the fact that every man and every
woman is liable to be called upon to have
the operation performed, and that from no
personal fault
About the first thing mother tells her
child when it is old enough to eat for itself
is to beware of orange and grape seeds, as
they are liable to lodge somewhere in its
body and stay there and cause death.
Until the case of Captain Edward Temple
Rose, of London, reported in THE DIS
PATCH a few days ago, and more recently
that of Vice-Chsncellor II. C. Putney, of
Morristown, gained such notoriety, the
idea was regarded by many as a supersti-
tion. The serious nature of these cases,
however, showed what terrible things may
happen through foreign substance lodging
in the body.
What the vermform Appendix Is.
The vermiform appendix is little pouch
from three to six inches in length and about
the diameter of a goose quill, extending
from the sac called the saecum, which is an
extension of the larger intestine. and into
which the smaller intestine opens througha
valve.
All food must pass through the smaller
intestine, and is then drawn up from the sac
through the larger intestine. 1t is while
the food is thus being transferred into the
larger intestine that the danger arises IF
any sort of foreign substance, such as a
reed or piece of oyster shell, passes into
the appendix inflammation sets in, and
death is liable to ensue from peritonitis.
The number eff cases in which the opera
tion has been successfully accomplished in
the last few years has led a great many to
believe that an immediation operation is the
surest and best treatment.
The appendix for which the doctors have
failed to find any possible use in the econ
omy of the body, is situated about three
inches to the left of the right hip bone. 1t
is worm-shaped pouch, and is usually bent
upward. The operation consists of cutting
it off at its mouth. The incision is usually
about six inches long, and the depth de-
pends upon the amount of muscle and fat of
the individual In a person of average
build the incision would not have to be over
an inch from the outer skin.
1t Has Baffied the Doctors.
One of the peculiarities of the complaint,
which is, of course, an accident, but shows
how difficult it is to avoid, is the number of
cases of doctors who have died from it. The
most distinguished case was that of the Gel
ebrated eye specialist, DR.. Agnew, who died
from the operation.
The case of Captain Rose was in many
ways very remarkable. The operation per-
formed upon him was one of the most diff
cult ever performed. The exact cause of
the trouble in his case is not known, but
about two and half years ago ne suffered
from his first attack of what is technically
known as appendicitis. After that he had
IA attacks. Some lasted but a few days;
others for many weeks The complaint
grew more serious with each attack.
Captain Rose was treated by the English
and French doctors incidentally, but with
out avail They refused to operate on ac-
count of the extreme difficulties of the case
presented. Captain Rose being extremely
large, heavily built and his abdominal wall
being excessively thick, made the chances
of recovery in case of an operation seem ex-
ceedingly small
From number of sources Captain Rose
heard that American surgeons had been par
tlcularly successful in this line of surgery,
and he at last decided to have the operation
performed in this country.
Captain Roses Case Hard One.
His case was diagnosed by Dr. Francis P.
Kinnicutt, the attendant physician of st.
Luke's Hospital, as chronic appendicitis.
and DR.. William T. Bull confirmed DR..
Kinnicutt's opinion. While the doctors
told Captain Rose the operation would be
extremely difficult on account of his size at