Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-06-12

out during the cutting, and when
the disc was removed a fragment OF
bullet was found, under the edge of
the wound. The oriflce was enlarged
and the bullet removed. Since then
the epilepsy had completely disappear
ed. but there was still some tendency
TO fainting which was possibly in
duced, to some extent, by the fact that
the patient worked in temperature OF
120 degrees.
DR.. r. w. Stewart, of Pittsburg, a
surgeon of wide repute, opened the dis
cuSsion in a very interesting manner.
He said an operation could hardly do
harm, but it was generally worthless
so far as recovering the bullet was
concerned, for it was rarely found af-
ter the skull had been penetrated. The
case cited by DR.. Hupp was rare, in that
the bullet remained imbedded in the
bone. The speaker said he had enter
ed upon brain surgery with consider
able enthusiasm, but must confess to
great disappointment in many cases.
He regretted that careful notes Of I'M
successful cases were not made, as
they would often be of the utmost value.
The Doctor appeared to think that the
outlook for brain surgery was not as
promising as il was ten years ago.
Dr.. Stewart was followed by DR..
Hoffman, who detailed some valuable
experiences and observations, fea-
ture of which was an assertion made
by DR.. Hall, CT Denver, TO the speaker,
that there was very rarely complete
Inconsistencies in gunshot wounds of
the brain, and the speaker said he had
observed a glimmering of conscious
ness in even the worst cases.
DR.. Sharp followed with his recol-
lections OF a case, at Volcano, belong
ing to DR.. Johnson, in which the patient
had been shot in the forehead with
squirrel rife. DR.. Johnson inserted a
probe, by gravity, four and one-half
inches, the patient being semi-con-
scious. There was complete recovery,
and absolutely no after symptoms.
Ulcers may develop, but had not as
yet.
An expected paper on safeguards for
physicians in cases where suits for
malpractice, etc., are brought, was
then read. The present idea is that
the profession in West Virginia stands
in a very precarious condition, because
of the provision of law and accompany
ing judicial decisions, that in a case
where one party TO suit is dead, the
other party cannot testify in his own
behalf. This leaves the physician
helpless, in case of suit for damages
for malpractice, when the patient died,
even though the physician had done all
that skill and experience could sug-
gest. An amendment to the law is
proposed in the shape OF an Act,
amending Sec. %, Chap. 1870, OF the
Code, which permitted all parties in in
terest to testify.
The whole matter was discussed,
and finally referred 10 committee for
report.
At noon the Society adjourned until
2 p. m.
Al 2 o'clock the Society reconvened,
and DR.. H. B. Jones read a paper on
The Woman Physician which was
listened to with the closest attention
by all.
DR.. S. L. Jepson then read an inter-
esting paper on the Wheeling small
poX epidemic.
The Society was photographed in a
body.
Soon after three O'Clock the Society
adjourned, and at four o'clock took
train on the Wheeling and Elm Grove
railroad for Wheeling Park. What
transpired there will be found reported
elsewhere.