Omaha daily bee., 1898-12-29
WESTERN SURGEONS MEET
Eighth Annual Convention Of Their Associa-
ton 10 in Session.
TECHNICAL TOPICS TAKE UP THE TIME
Matters Of Professional Interest Pre-.
scented IN Papers During the Day,
some Of which Evoke Lively
Debates of Wide Range.

About 100 members Of the Western Sur
gical and physiological association we're
present In the Elks lodge room yesterday
when the eighth annual meeting Of the
association was called to order. The asso-
citation has = membership Of nearly $50
members in the territory between the Mis-
sissippi river and the Rocky mountains, and
the attendance at this meeting Is considered
reasonably good.
After the meeting had been called to
order Rev. Howard 8. MacAyeal Of this city
asked divine guidance in the work Of the
association. after which DR.. A. F. Jonas,
on behalf Of the local physicians, welcomed
the visitors to the city, extending to them
all OF the hospitality which had made
famous during the recent exposi-
zion. e,
DR.. H. D.. Niles Of Salt Lake City re-
sponded on behalf Of the visitors, and was
happy In the points he made. being fire.
quently interrupted by applause and laugh
ter.
With these formalities out Of the way tho
association was prepared for the business Of
the session, and the president, DR.. D. s.
Faifchild of Clinton, Ia, made his annual
address. In this paper the doctor reviewed
the work accomplished during the year in
that part Of the surgical field in which tho
association was interested. He also marked
the progress which has been made in the
profession generally.
DR.. ]. p. Lord Of this city, as chairman
Of the committee on entertainment, an
nounced that the committee had arranged to
take the wives and feminine friends OF the
visitors for a trolley ride over the city and
Its suburbs during the session Of the asso-
citation, and that tonight a BAN
quet would be given at the Paxton hotel
for all the members. He said other features
OF entertainment were under consideration,
but would be announced later.
But one paper was read at the morning
session, and that was by DR.. W. L. Bowling
OF Logan, Ia, on THE Curette; Some OF
che Indications for Its Use"
D%issecting a Brother Surgeon.
One paper read at the afternoon session
brought out a large degree Of interest, in
that 1t gave the attending physicians an
opportunity to orally operate upon one OF
their brethren. The paper read was en-
titled, Causes and Radical Treatment Of
Retro Displacement Of the Uterus" and 1t
was read by DR.. ]. H. Kellogg Of Battle
Creek, Mich. He made light Of some OF the
tTaulLlOnHl CT6dlu1cuLb WHICH dIe ycI taught
in the text books and advanced some ideas
which were considered revolutionary by
many. The secret Of the matter. however.
lay in the fact that the doctor Is connected
with a big sanitarium which fnds 1t to some
advantage in its business to advertise ex-
&ensively.
DR.. o. Beverly Campbell Of st. Joseph,
Mo-, led the attack on DR.. Kellogg's paper.
alleging hat It was a suitable essay to read
to q lay audience. but unfit for a profess
sional body. This gave the cue and several
of the doctors took It up. charging the au-
. thor OF the paper with being more anxious
to attract the attention Of the public than
Of enlightening the members OF his profess
sion. Later . few physicians spoke a good
word for DR.. Kellogg's paper and at the
close Of the discussion the author took the
floor In his own behalf. answering the
charges made against him.
Several other papers on surgical subjects
were read and discussed In detail, but the
original treatise and subsequent discussions
were prosaically technical throughout, al
though 1t was apparent at times that a senti-
ment existed among a respectable number
OF the doctors that surgery was being al
lowed to run wild with the profession.
r Going After the Appendix.
Last evenings session was devoted almos
exclusively to q discussion OF appendicitis
and its treatment. Three papers on as man!
phases of the comparatively recently discov
cred ailment were read by O. Beverly Camp
bell OF st. Joseph, Mo-. Joseph Eastman o
Indianapolis, Ind. and B. Harvey Reed U
Rock Springs, Wyo. The discussion wa!
taken up generally by those in attendance
with more or less interest. All seemed Il
z kA.A ..--.Stnlkla u a NoattoN fA~ o,tr0t
cal treatment rather than medical, and twt
or three Of the doctors challenged the truth
Of any statment that medicine ever effected
q cure OF the disease. They admitted tina
medicine might relieve the Inflammation ant
Irritation, but that the complaint would re
cur and a resort to surgery make itself i'm
perative.
But while the surgeons agreed on thi
point they did not agree by any manner o
means upon when the operation should b.
. made. Some advocated operating immedi
ately after the diagnosis, while others ques
toned the %soundness of such proceeding
Ecme thought that even while the existence
Of appendicitis u recognized, SO long a
there 10 no danger to the patient operatiA
should be deferred and this was vigorousl,
combated by others. A Chicago surgeon
said he recommended 70 . patient that whel
ne Knew an 6ttack WaS CVmluS W 30 " peu
take q big dose Of castor oil. apply no
water bags and send for q surgeon. Anothe
Doctor said hot water In this case aggravate'
the pain, and suggested ice water bags a
bringing the most comfort to the patient
Generally, however. 1t was agreed tina
each case Of appendicitis had to be treate
on it, own symptoms. and a surgeon mus
depend on his judgment; that an operatio
on the first or second day OF the attack wa
reasonably safe, while after that It was at
tended by more or less danger until the pa
tient recovered from the first evil effects an
was on the road to recovery; and that tn
period between attacks. when the patien
was nominally we'll. was the best and safes
time for an operation.
Hoat Preparing His Report.
Collector Houts of the Internal revenu
once has returned from Lincoln, where h
went to spend Christmas with his family
He and the members Of the once force ar
busily engaged In getting out the quarterl,
nsI5ounnono