The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-12-20
THE H[RD|SM OF PHYSICIANS
Noble Deeds That Go Unchrcnicied-
Stery of . Great Discovery - The
Surgeon worked While MOD
Threatened Hin With Death.


Mos. OF the heroic deeds Of physicians
must 20 unchroniclsd The heroic deeds
Of other men fash forth internationally. oas
the physician pursstes his way quietly
riskirg his life for the benens OF humanity.
The general on the battlefield disinisses
the loss of life as an accident Of war. The
physician counts each life precious, ana 10
save It ne makes great sacrifices
Fifty years ago I. was not uncommon
for physicians TO ride horseback 50 and II"
miles through cold and snow 10 attend pa
tents. That was taken as a matter or
course and though il called for superior
courage and seIf-sacrifics those men went
unfiinchingiy. The medicine and fnssru-
ments they carried IN saddlehags. Dr. Nc
DoweH the discoverer of ovariotomy. was
called TO attend a patient who lived 100
miles from his home in Danville. the
streams were swollen beyond their banks.
The physicians wife foresaw the danger
and impiored him not TO go. He was reso-
lutte, however. and set out through the
wilderness. He had ridden about forty
miles when ne came 70 a stream overflow
ing its banks and filled with drifrwoood.
He hesitated q moment and then threw
the bride over the horses head and the
animal plunged into the torrent. heavy
sawlog struck the horse almost causing II
to drown. The animal managed 10 swim
to the opposite shore. The physician ar
rived at his destination finally. performed
an operation and saved a life that hung IA
the balance.
The story Of DR.. McDowelrs discovery OF
ovarfotomy Is one of the most thrilling IN
medical history. Physicians love to talk
of 1t as an achievement which reflects glory
on their profession.
On December 49, 1909. Dr. Mcdowell was
sent for to visit Mrs Crawford living in
Green county. sixty miles from Danville.
Upon his arrival he found the woman's
condition critical. He informed her OF the
operation he wished TO perform, OF its
hazardous nature and of the fact that the
operation had never been attempted be-
fore. With Spartan-liks courage she told
him to proceed. Anaesthesia had not been
discovered. and the only provision made
was a cloth thrown over Mrs. Crawford
eyes TO shut out the flashing of the instra-
ments. While the doctor was performing
the operation a crowd OF infuriated men
gathered In front of the house. muttering
threats against the inhunan wretch who
was "butchering a woman" The result OF
that operation has been to save the lives
of more than 100, 900 women.
In the college of physicians and sur
geons a tablet inscribed with the words.
''Haec mea ornamental sunt," bears the
names of Gorham Beales. William w. CAL
hoon. Henry w. Curtis. Horatio w. Grid
ley Henry w. Porter. Lefray Rayenhill,
John Snowden Francis Bullock, Francis
=. Cation. Enoch Green. Elihu T. Hedges.
A. Judson Rand. David Seigman and Sgd
ney B. Worth.
During the typhus pestslence of 1851,
when death held high carnival in the hos
pital wards. those men died while minister
ing to the sick It was known TO he al
most certain death to go into the wards,
and yet as soon as one physician fell an
other stepped forward to fill his place.
John NJ. Rhinelander graduated from Co
lumbia college in 1911. and from the coll
lege of Physicians and Surgeons In 1894. In
1892. while the cholera was raging in Cam
ada, he was cent to investigate its nature
and the method of It's cure. He was in i'm
Cainent danger Of his life, but went with
out hinching. He returned, and was the
means OF saving many lives during the
cholera plague in THIS city. At that time
the city extended only TO Prince street
Comboldts garden). but 800 cases OF
cholera and Ill deaths were reported In
one day. The heroism of New York prac-
titioners at that time can never be chron-
icled. Every day saw sacrifices and every
hour saw the physicians going calmly to
what seemed sure death.
DR.. Lefray Ravenhill. Is years old, who
had graduated from Columbia at the head
or his class. was another victim OF the
typhus fever. He contracted Il in Bellevue,
which was then the almshouse hospital.
Dr. Benjamin Dewitt the vice president Of
the college OF physicians and surgeons to
whose exertions the college owed grant
OF $4,000 from the legislature, became the
port physician. During the performance
or his duties he contracted yellow fever
and died. at the age of Is years. Richard
Bailey was another New York health Of
ncer VINO contracted pestilential disease
and died IN the discharge of his duty
Il is related of DR.. James r. Wood tina.
while driving to his home he saw a man
who had been slashed and left bleeding on
the sidewalk. He alighted hastily and
performed difficult surgical operation
which was necessary to save the mans
HE. while the gathering crowd denounced
him as butcher. One man threatened m
have him arrested. When he had finished
the operation. he drew a card from his
pocket and handed 1t to bys;ander. saw
ing that the police could find him readily.
Then he got into his vehicle and drovs
home.
The achievement Of DR.. Valentine Mot.
VIII go down IN history. While performing
an operation for the cure of anuer,sn
he discovered that the trouble was nearer
the heart than he had anticipated. He
performed successfully the experiment Of
tying the large artery OF the heart. con-
sidered by physicians one of the boIaest ef
forts or surgery. DR.. Valentine Seaman
who introduced vaccination into New York
city against strong prejudice and opposi-
ton. experimental on his son. nofri,b.
standing the statements that had been
made mat the virus was a virulent poison
African Town Looking In
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