Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1893-10-28
NATURES USELESS GIFT.
THE VERMlFORM APPENDIX AND THE
TROUBLE 1T HAS CAUSED.

Science Advances to the Rescue and
Shows the Only Way to Safety-The
Cause of More Deaths Than Consump-
tIon Developed i'll the Last Five Years.
VIII the coming man have Il vermi-
form appendix? Who has not heard
of that troublesome little pouch in the
abdominal 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 promi-
nence had trouble with the vermform
appcndiX-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 de-
Struy.
Prof b. G. Wilder has said fatty
that children should be relieved of the
vcrmitorm appendix, just as they are
vaccinatcd; but other students in this
new field are not yet ready to pro-
nounce in favor of so radical Il scheme.
Physicians have known for centuries
that the vermiform appendix existed,
but it was not until 1SSS-not until five
years ago-that any one of the profess
sion had the daring to make an i'll
cson into the abdominal cavity and
remove this rank offender against the
laws of health.
The attack on the vermiform appcn-
dix is but five years old, but it is being
prosecuted with remarkable vigor in
New York city, where it originated,
and the reason is not far to seek. 1t
is simply because physicians feel sure
that they have evidence that appcn-
dicitis, as disease of the veriform ap-
pcndiX is named, causes more deaths
every year than consumption, the long
acknowledged chief among fatal dis
eases.
The appendix vermiformiS in normal
condition is about the size of Il lead
pencil and about six inches long. 1t is
very well shown in a specimen which
was removed at clinical lecture at
the Post Graduate Medical School on
January 13, 1893 This appendix had
liberated and increased in size some
what, but gave Il very fair idea of the
part When perfectly normal it SO
compares with an ordinary lead pencil
that it is most frequently described as
like it. 1t is a pencil that writes only
death warrants.
Even to-day, very few physicians out
side of New York city have any accu-
rate knowledge of appendicitis, or
would undertake an operation for the
removal of the appendix. SO entirely
is the discovery of the disease and
the proper method of treating it an
American development of knowledge
and practice, that among scientists of
other countries to-day appendicitis is
known as "the American disease
Speaking in the light of recent re-
search, it seems safe to say that ap-
prndicitis is far more prevalent than
consumption, and in just that proper
tion causes more Deaths the chief diff
ference being that the cause or seat of
appendicitis may be removed bodily
with success in most cases, and success
means restoration to perfect health.
The removal of the vermiform apDcn-
dix in the early stages of an attack of
appendicitis is now held to be one of
the safest of surgical operations, while
such an operation, when the case has
come to near its last and fatal stage,
is one of the most desperate. The sad
ease of Senator Hagan is one in point.
He had long desired an operation, but
it had been delayed until too late for
an assured success.
And now, after all these facts are re-
cited. rccurs the question of whether
the coming man VIII have Il vcrmifOrm
appendix. 1t is not meant by this to
inquire whether the coming man will
have his appendix slain lest it slay him.
A much wider question is indicated.
The number of appendices removed in
this city since the discovery that such
an operation could be safely perform
cd is very great all things considered,
one general practitioner, not il Surgi-
cal specialist, told the representative
of the World that he had removed 100
appendices in two years. Possibly a
thousand appendices have been remov-
cd since the first operation of this sort
Ill 1883, and most of these in the past
three years. What follows? If such Il
rate is to be maintained there will soon
be very large proportion of the pco-
pl" of New York city who have elmin-
atcd their vermiform appendices, and
we are glad of it, VIII the children of
these people be likewise possessed of
vcrmiform appendices? Undoubtedly.
But should the eliminating process be
continued for few generations, how
long would it be before this useless
and dangerous, degenerate and rudi-
mcntary portion of the body will be
permanently bred out of eXistence?-
New York World.