The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-12-26
The STOMACH NOT VITAL.
Organ Removed from Sxiss Woman
Who Still Lives
OF GREAT IMPORTANCE TO MEDICINE
Many Theories of the Profession
Have Been Overturned by the
Brilliant surRi.al Operations.

New York, December a5.--rhc Medical
Record today publishes the following ac-
count of the first successful removal of a
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 ever
more important. Hitherto 1t has been con-
sidered utterly impossible for person TO
live without stomach With the fan of
this long recognized axiom. the old theories
OF medicine and surgery may be entirely
changed, and the field OF possibilities
when the discovery opens up is practically
limitless.
The operation which has so startled the
medical world was performed In Zurich.
Switzerland. by Dr. Carl Schlatter on Sep
TENDER last The subject was Anna Lam
dis, 90 years old and a silk weaver. This
woman had complained for years of stom-
aeh trouble. DR.. Schlatter diagnosed the
case and found she was suffering from an
exceptionally large oval tumor in her
stomach. i-aparotomy was performed and
DR. Schlatter found that the womans en-
tire stomach presented a hard mass And
then this daring operator. seeing that the
organ was useless, went Ia wosk and freed
II from It's delicate attachments. cutting.
twisting and clamping among the most
vital organs with the GOODNESS and DELHI
GRAFTON of an expert dentist drawing a
hard tooth, The technical details OF the
operation can only be appreciated by mem
hers OF the medical profession. When DR..
Schlatter had excised the entire stomach
he firmly united a small coil of intestines
TO the oesoph4gus. thus making direct
connection between the aimentary canal
and the bowels. The work OF Joining the
intestine and the ocsophagus was most
delicate. They were bound together with
sutures. The organs were allowed to drop
back into their positions, the abdominal
wound was sewed up and all there was TO
show that Anna lsandih had lost her stom-
ach was a slight retraction toward the
diaphragm. The operation lasted nearly
Two hours and half. Tho loss of blood was
slight
The period following proved that the
sterilization had been perfect and thc op-
Grafton wonderfully performed Tho pa
ticnt, although old and feeble exhibited
nut lew Of tho serious symptoms that
usually follow a vital operation Minute
quantities of liquid food were given 10 her
at short intervals. With the exception OF
occasional vomiting this food seemed to be
asslmilated despite the absence OF a food
receptacle. In the second week after the
operation she was given solid food. II was
Retained and digested without discomfort
And even Or. Schatter 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 October II, n month and five days
after the stomach had been removed, Anna
Lands left her bed. BY November %
che 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 Med
zeal Record. who obtained Or Schlaj;crs
personal account OF the fear. states that
on the 9Th of this month he saw Anna
Lands, and that to all intents and pur-
poses she was well woman She is still
| Under observation al the Zurich county
hospital, but Is able TO do her full share
Of the work in the wards. She hes had
many medical visitors from all quarters
of the globe and by this time has grown
quite proud of her depleted body
DIR Wendt concludes from the success
| full removal OF this stomach that the hui
man stomach is not vital organ; that
! the digestive capacity OF tho stomach has
been considerably overrated; that a gain
| in weight may take place despite the alb
sence Of gastric activity; that the chem
ical functions OF the human stomach can
be satisfactorily performed by the other
divisions of the alInentary canal"
Commenting all these things. the
| Medical Record says editorially:
However 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 time without any stomach whatever.
| and obtain all the necessary digestion and
nourishment from what sremnins OF the
intestinal tract. 1t is possible that the
| latter may have new set OF functions
not yet understood or has the Importance
Of stomach digestion been misapprehend :
| ed or overrated In any event we are
| now brought face to face with very
curious demonstration which DESTROYED
| the validity of many preconceived opin-
! ions and in great measure nuiiihes inc
results of many previous experiments
"In the matter of a brilliant achieve
| ment the operation takes hrst rank
and the daring and brilliant surgeon VIII
receive the well-deserved congratulations
OF his peers throughout the world. lie mas
| opened the first chapter In new ms
| tory OF surgical triumph.
|