The herald., 1893-09-09
1T is A USELESS GIFT.
THE vERMIFoRM APPENDIX CAUSES
SERIOUS TROUBLE.


Science Advances to the Rescue and Shows
the Only Way to safety-A Possibility
That the Coming Man VIII Be without
That Dangerous Organ.
Will the coming man have vermi-
form appendix? Who has not heard of
that troublesome little pouch in the alb
dominal regions which serves no good
purpose, but is responsible for thousands
of deaths each year?
Emmons Blaine, Senator Hagan and
hundreds of other persons of prominence
had trouble with the vermiform appen-
dix-and they died.
Now science is asking in all serious
ness whether the vermiform appendix
shall be allowed to exist; whether it shall
not be removed entirely before it has the
opportunity to poison and destroy.
Professor B. G. Wilder has said fatty
that children should be relieved of the
vermifor1n appendix, just as they are
vaccinated. But other students in this
new field are not yet ready to pronounce
Al AbNOA Va ~ eSuAAchi a oCnClllOs
Physicians have known for centuries
that the vermiform appendix existed, but
it was not until 1o8S-not until five years
ago-that any one of the profession had
the daring to make an incision into the
abdominal cavity and remove this rank
offender against the laws of health.
The attack on the vermiform appendix
is but five years old, but it is being pros
ecuted with remarkable vigor in New
York city, where it originated, and the
reason is not far to seek. 1t is simply be-
cause physicians feel sure that they have
evidence that appendicitis, as disease of
the vermiform appendi@ is isnamed, causes
more deaths every year than consump-
ton, the long acknowledged chief among
fatal diseases.
The appendix vermiformis in normal
condition is about the size of lead pen
Gil and about inches long. 1t is very
well shown in o specimen which was re-
moved at s-clinical lecture at the Post
graduate Medical school on Jan. 13.
This appendix had liberated and in
creased in size somewhat, but gave a very
fair idea of the part. When perfectly
normal, it SO compares with an ordinary
lead pencil that it is most frequently de-
scribed as like it. II is pencil that
writes only death warrants.
Even today very few physicians out
side of New York city have any accurate
knowledge Of appendicitis or would un-
dertake an oFe-ctica for the removal OF
the appendix. S. entirely is the discov-
cry OF the diseaco and tho Trspar method
of treating it IN American Development
of knowledge ard .'rsctico that among
scientists Of c. coun tries today ap-
pendicitis is \ 10 "tho American
disease"
Since the -ccee-t G..scoTer;es removals
of the canso Of ~ t,,p t-onhlo h:sve been
very frequent. Gao gen nerssl practitioner
has had AS sues ses 4Ns'itiisin a year.
Speaking in tao light of recent re-
search, i eczema safe 10 scy that appen-
dicitis is fer irora preYaicns than con-
sumption, and in ii,et thns proportion
causes more Gea .he, tho cbief difference
being that the cause o-eoat OF appended
tls may be removed bodily with success
in most cases. and srccess means restor-
atlon to pei. .ect hee5tn.
The removal OF tAe verniform appen-
dix II. the eariy stages OF an attack of
appendicitis @ now held to be one of the
safest of surgical Operations. while such
an operation, whhn tie case has come to
near its last and fatal stage, is one Of the
most desperate. The sad case of Senator
Hagan is one in point. He had long de-
sired an operation. but it had been de-
layed until too late for on assured sue
cess.
And now, after all these facts are re-
cited, recurs the question Of whether the
coming man will have n ysr1nifor1n ap-
pendix. It is not meant by this to in
quire whether tho coming man will have
his appendix slain lest it slay bim. A
much wider question is indicated. The
number Of appendices removed in this
city since the discovery that such an OPP
Grafton conld be safely performed is very
great, all things considered, One gen.
eral practitioner, not asrrgical special
ist, told the representative of The World
that he had removed 100 appendices in
two years. Possibly 1000 appendices
have been removed since the first opera
tion OF this sort in 1888, and most Of
these in the past three years,
What follows? Ii such rate is to be
maintained, there will soon be a very
large proportion Of the people of New
York city who have eliminated their
vermiforn appendices, and we are glad
of it.
J Will the children Of these people be
likewise possessed Of ver1niforin appen-
dixes7 Undoubtedly. But should the
eliminating process zoe continued for a
few generations. how; long would it be
before this useless and dangerous, de-
generate and 'rrraimcnta-y portion of the
body is permanently bred out of exist
encef--New York World. 80.
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A Clock That Registers the Tide.
The chamber of commerce of Rouen
has erected clock tower which gives
the time on thraa sides and tho bo;oh+ ~