The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-02-16
RAILWAY SURGERY.
A Talk on the Cases That Come Be
 fore Medical Men Employed by Rail

A Talk on the Cases That Come Be-
 fore Medical Men Employed. by Rail-
 reads. -----.
 Dr. James G. Hunt lectured before the railroad men at their building last evening on the subject, Railway Sur gery" The audience was good sized and appreciative, and the different sys- tems which enter this city were well represented. Dr. Hunt placed before them a skeleton and life-sized mani kin by which he was able to explain his subject more thoroughly. The lecture gave evidence of study. He said:
 "The brain and muscle of over two million men are employed to construct, equip and to operate the present rail way systems. Our American railroad officials have made great progress in reducing the number and severity of accidents, and our flrst-class roads now show that they compare more than fa- vorably in this respect with the best companies throughout Europe.
 "The possibility of railway accidents has always been a source of anxiety to railway managers, and the shock re- ceived by the public should deepen in- terest in the means taken to avoid these distressing occurrences. Many of the injuries which the railway surgeon has to deal with are of a peculiar nature and often of the greatest severity, while the majority of our injuries are what we would consider of @ minor charac- ter, such as would result from coupling cars or accidents from machinery, etc. Many of these accidents happen at night and at some remote point from surgical assistance, and in the most disagreeable weather, in which case the delay and exposure are influences that may add greatly to the shock of injury before the sufferer can receive any pro per attention
 pr. Hunt here explained a life-size physiological manikin, also skeleton showing the various organs of the
 body, and continued:
 ''Four-fifths of the injuries that a railway surgeon is called to attend will probably be chased under the head of minor surgery, and it is these cases that show the true surgeon just as much as the amputations, reseetions and operations of that class do. There
 
 press upon you, and the first is the wonderful recuperative or healing pow e" in the extremities. We are often called to look at a mashed finger, hand or foot. At first glance there seems to be a disposition to amputate. My advice is to always look twice, and as long as there is the least chance of any circulation, either direct or colfat- eral, I always try to save the finger or
 member. It may be that an amputa- tion will have to be performed, but nothing has been lost by waiting day or two if the proper precautions have been taken. The extremities have a very abundant supply of blood vessels which traverse and radiate throughout every muscular fibre, and which form such a network over the fingers and toes that unless the member is lacera- a- ted around it's entire circumference we
 may hope that sufficient vitality re-
 mains to preserve a healthy regenera- tive action. A finger may seem of mi
 nor importance to @ surgeon, but to a railroad hand, who makes his living by hard work and whose life often depends on the grasp of the hand, it is a most serious matter. I make 1t a rule never to sacrifice the smallest part of mem-
 Der that there is any possibility of sav- 1 ing, as I think it is better surgery to save one finger than to cut off ten. "One of our greatest troubles is the condition of the injured member when l brought to us. Nearly always we find i the torn tissues and the adjacent parts black with coal dust and grease, and to get an aseptic condition Is well nigh impossible. Many accidents occur in machine shops. They may be lacerated | or confused wounds, the wrenching off of finger or toe or limbs, or they may be crushed. Cogwheels, saws, blaming machines, etc, tear off many limb or parts of one. It is such injuries as these that almost always occur when there is no surgeon that can be had for some little time, and it would be well if some one in every shop or on every train could have some idea of what can be done until doctor arrives.
 Tn case of hemorrhage, raise the | limb, wash clean; if the blood comes in bright red jets, apply the strap above i the bleeding points just tight enough to | control the flow. Do not draw the 1