The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-04-06
New Cure for Appendicitis.

WcbG. why, l. lcIt Utuiuu hC u
reputation as an appendicitis expert
The: would De worth twenty thousand
a year in Chicago"
whats your percentage of cures?'
asked the recently graduated NJ. d.
Just an even hundred per cent
"Wiat are you giving men? There
isn't a surgeon in the country who's
never lost a case. Why even
eyes; but 1 don't use the knife"
said the other doctor interrupting.
Medical treatment, Ell? Well, |
don't hold much with that. 1t only
alleviates. Doesn't cure. What's
your method; oil?"
"No. Just water"
'Hydropathic treatment for appen-
dicitis! You must be crazy
"Who said anything about hydro
pathic treatment? You hospital
youngsters always want to build up a
four-story name for everything, so as
to charge more for the bill, / reckon.
I'm telling you that I've saved 100
per cent. of my appendicitis cases by
the use Of water; and now, if you'll
give me a chance, I'll tell you how l
did it; but I wouldn't advise you to
follow my method. | don't follow it
myself"
"Fire ahead said the young doc
tor. 81
"To begin with the truth, my 100
per cent. consisted of one patient.
Appendicitis hasn't got fashionable
out our way yet. Few people know
about it, and, in my opinion, it's m
of those diseases you don't get until
you get to thinking about them"
The young doctor looked wise. Gin
voluntary muscular action due to
cere-"
"That'll do interrupted the older
man. "I'll furnish all the foot noes
myself. This patient Of mine was a
chap named Dunby, a big, robust fell
low, g great eater ard tee lazy SO take
exercise. Consequently his stomach
was troubling him. Well, one day he
got hold of a semi-medical paper con-
tanning a long and grcwsome article ON
appendicitis. That was the first init
nation he had that he was the proud
possessor of a vermiform appendix.
AS soon as he discovered it, it began
to bother him. Hc kept poking and
prodding himself to see if he had any
pains there, and naturally he made
himself sore. One day he came down
to my Office white as a sheet.
GIVE got it, Doc,' he said; I've
got it,
"'Got what?" I asked.
"'Appcndicitis. / can feel itswell-
ing up. It must be a lemon seed or
something, though I've been careful
not to swallow anything of that ser.'
"'You've got a stomache ache, and
that's ALL I said.
"'Stomache ache! Oh, if you
could feel it. I'm g dead man.
"sYou're a blooming fool l said,
and you'll be a dead fool if you scare
yourself into it. Lie down here and
let me look you over
"Thc result of my examination was
such as to assure me that Dunby was
suffering from a bad fit Of indigestion
and scare combined. I tried TO get
him to look at it that way, but he
wouldn't have it. That Internal medi-
cal article vas firmly fixed in his APP
pendix vermiformis, and though Twas
satisfied there was nothing else there,
he was likely to die of it. 1 got him
home and returned to my office to
smoke a pipe over the problem, prom
Using to return that evening. When
l got back there was a little blue
mark OH his abdomen.
Identification, moancd Dunby.
"As a matter of fact, it was simply
slight bruisc caused by his continu-
al prodding at himself. but 1 had
formed my plan and proceeded to act
upon it.
"'lou were right. Dunby,' I said.
Its appendicitis. That mark shows
it,
cob, my God!' he cried. Send
for my brother. 1 want to see MY
relative before l die
"'You aren't going to die l said.
going to be cured this very
night. How's the pain?'
"'Gonc. Numbness Of approach
ing death, he gurgled.
"sKeep your nerve up I told him.
Then | went to a carpenter and had
him set in a sort of reversed stocks
over Dunby's bathtub. like the kind