The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-25
WOrld-Old Theories of Physicians
and Surgeons Upset by the DiscOy-
cry of DIR. Carl SchIatter.
RARE CASE OF ANNA LANDIS
HER STMOACH REMOVED SEPT. ny
A DARING SWISS SURGEON.
The Woman Gaining Weight and d.
Did Before the Operation.

NEW YORK, Dec. 2-The Medical Rec
ord will tomorrow publish the following
account of the first successful removal OF
human stomach:
'"The feat itself is the most brilliant and
daring ever attempted in recent surgical
history, but the attendant discovery that
the stomach is not vital organ is even
more important. Hitherto it has been con-
sidered utterly impossible for person TO
live without a stomach. With the fall OF
this long recognized axiom the old theories
of medicine and surgery may be entirely
changed and the field of possibilities which
the discovery opens up is practically limit
less.
1.-THE operation which has so startled the
medical world was performed in Zurich,
Switzerland by DR.. CHrl Schlatter on Sept.
6 last. The subject was Anna Lands, fifty
six years old, and a silk weaver. The
woman had complained for years Of stomach
trouble. DR.. Schlatter diagnosed the case
and found that she was suffering from an
exceptionally large oval tumor in her stom-
ach. Laparotomy was performed, and DR..
Schlatter found that the womans entire
stomach presented a hard mass. And then
this daring operator, seeing that the organ
was useless, went to work and freed 1t
from it's delicate attachments; cutting,
twisting and clamping among the most
vital organs with the GOODNESS and delibera-
ton Of an expert dentist drawing hard
tooth.
''The technical details of the operation can
only be appreciated by members of the
medical profession. When DR.. Schlatter had
excised the entire stomach he firmly united
f,,fo fn ba mi IA p11c
thus making a direct Connection between the
alimentary canal and the bowels. The work
of joining the intestine and the oesophagus
was most delicate. They were bound to-
gether with sutures. The organs were al
lowed to drop back into their positions, the
abdominal wound was sewed up, and all
there was to show that Anna Lands had
lost her stomach was a slight contraction
toward the diaphragm The operation lasted
nearly two hours and q half. The loss of
blood was slight.
1.-THE period following proved that the
sterilization had been perfect and the opera
ton wonderfully performed. The patient,
although old and feeble, exhibited but few
Of the serious symptoms that usual
ly follow a vital operation. Min
ute quantities of liquid food were
given to her at short intervals. With
the exception of occasional vomiting this
food seemed to be assimlated, despite the
absence of food receptacle. In the second
week after the operation she was given solid
food 1t was retained and digested without
discomfort. And even DR.. Schlatter himself
marveled at the almost unexpected success
of his bold work. He was handicapped in
giving the patient solid food because she
only had one tooth left in her head. On
Oct II, month and five days after the
stomach had been removed, Anna Lands
left her bed BY Nov % she was feeling
perfectly well and was walking about. Her
weight increased and apparently she was in
far better health than before the operation.
DR.. Edmund Charles Wendt of New
York city, the correspondent of the Medical
Record. who obtained Dr. Schlatters per-
sonal account of the feat, states that on
the 9Th of this month he saw Anna Lands,
and that to all intents and purposes she is
a we'll woman. She is still under observa-
tion at the Zurich County Hospital. but is
able to do her full share of work in the
wards. She has had many medical visitors
from all quarters of the globe and by
this time has grown quite proud of her
depleted body.
"Dr. Wendt concludes, from the success
full removal of this stomach, that the
human stomach is not vital organ; that
the digestive capacity of the stomach has
been considerably overrated; that a gain
in weight may take place despite the alb
sence of gastric activity that vomiting
may occur without a stomach and that
the chemical functions of the human
stomach can be satisfactorily performed
by the other divisions of the alimentary
canal
Commenting on all these things the
Medical Record editorially will say:
Whatever we may venture pro or con
on the question at issue, the fact appears
to be proven that the human subject can
live and be reasonably active for months at
a time without any stomach whatever and
obtain all the necessary digestion and nour-
ishment from what remains of the intes-
tinal tract. Is it possible that the latter
may have a new set of functions not yet
understood, or has the Importance of
stomach digestion been misapprehended
and overrated? In any event we are now
brought face to face with a very curious
demonstration which destroyed the valid
ity of many preconceived opinions and in
great measure nullifies the results of
many previous experiments. In the matter
of a brilliant achievement, the operation
takes a first rank and the daring and bril-
liant surgeon will receive the well-deserved
congratulations of his peers throughout the 4
world. He has opened the first chapter in
a new history of surgical triumnhs"