Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-03-14
MONTHS WITHOUT 4 sIomAcm.
Death 81 ms. Wales Meant Practical Failure
d q Daring Operation.

Spccidily interested pdlu any particular
attention to the announcement recently,
of the death of Mrs. Georgiana Wales,
the wife of George f. Wales, we'll
known resident of Newton Centre, in her
meant the practical failure of one Of the
most daring operations ever performed
in the very skirmish line of surgery" as
one Of the attendant physicians aptly
the history of medical surgery involving
the removal of the entire stomach. and
the second in this country. An account
of it was published last fall although the
name of the patient was not made public.
The operation was performed by DIR.
Maurice II. Richardson. leading sur
geons of Boston. and attracted widespread
Interest In the medical fraternity both In
this country and abroad.
The operation was performed on May II
last. and since then Mrs. Wales had lived
day on which she died. Until a few
weeks ago she gave promise ~ tnai and
absolute recovery. She herself. and her
immediate family. firmly believed that
her death: but the physicians who per-
formed the autopsy found that it was in
reality due to recurrence in more ag-
gravated form of the disease which made
the operation mperative-cancer. Wheth-
err the patient would nave finally sue
tHBbed without recurrence of the
trouble Is a matter open 10 question: but
IL is Undoubtedly a fact that death sure
IS resulted from the cahcer and not alone
from the operation.
Mrs. Wales, woman of moderate stat
ure and the mother of six children. had
~, to about two years ago enjoyed excel
lent health. She was woman of great
force of character and remarkable will.
She had suffered considerable during the
first few months of lS*s with stomach
trouble: so she called III Rrookline
physician who pronounced her trouble to
be a tumor. and advised consultation
with DR.. Richardson When the latter
nj kEisi.tn nreSpn.ed the her
one of extreme severity and frankly told
her that the operation. which, to his
mind. was imperative might be attended
with serious results, she expressed her
self as willing to take the chance. The
description of the operation and the rea-
sons for it were given in the article BY
published last fall. She consulted DR..
Richardson on May 20. and had then been
suffering from Indigestion for about
year. Three days after the operation she
sat up in bed on June rs. and on July D
was able to drive five miles in an open
carriage from the hospital to her home IN
Newton. Up to November she continued
through the mouth. But toward the lat
ter part of November her indomitable Will
began to give way under the terrible
strain and she gradually lost hope. /:
soon became impossible to ro1se her, and
she declined rapidly. While the physician
In charge was prepared TO admit that the
unIdfOrHDte SSI1ptOtuS were tlte TcSull VI
the continued strain, and of the failure to
assimilate food properly, he could not ac-
count for the paroxrsms of pain, WHICH
became more frequent. lie came to the
conclusion that the disease at first no.
ticed was returning: but as the patient
was of course utterly unable to Stand
second operation, he was obliged to let It
run it's course. Mrs. Wales grew worse,
mouth feeding had to be abandoned. and
she suffered intense pain. Her death
came as relief. A few days. before her
death. for the first and only time she re
ferred to the operation, saying: Il hope
no other woman will be subjected to the
pain and suffering which l have been SUBJ
jected to. 1 advise. them to let the cam
Ger take it's course.
The autopsy showed that another can
Ger and not the absence of stomach had
caused death. The connection between
the oesophagus and duodenum was found
Of the transverse colon or the duodenum
have assumed the shape and most OF the
functions of stomach. Evidence of this
was shown before death.
In discussing the case the attending
physician said: although We probably
would not be able to convince any OF
our patients family that an operation
such AS was performed was success II
will take considerable proof to arrive at
different conclusion. There are so many
possibilities, that | hesitate whether to
advise similar action In other cases.
There is this much to be Sad~-the patient
avoids the dangers and sufferingS OF a
surgical operation. has before hlm-nrst.
the suffering incident 10 the disease; TINS
may vary between discomfort and unen-
durable pain; second, hopeiessfiess ana
depression to which death is in many
cases. preferable third. certain death
On the other hand if subjected to radi-
cal operation the patient has before MN
first the dangers and sufferlnSS OF ii
surgical operation though the suffering
may be no greater, it may even be less.
than the suffering incident to the dis
ease; second. hope and elevation of spirits
instead of mental depression and de-
spair: third. fair chance of recovery
that may he permanent. though fecuf-
renee may be the rule.
"A careful consideration in a favorable
case leads to but one conclusion. namely,
that the greatest good will follow reason
able surgical interference. II practically
the whole stomach can be successfully
removed in those cases in which the tu-
NOR invades the greater part of IL, what
may not we expect after extensive DIS
sections of recent and limited disease?
The chief arguments against radical
measures seem to be the necessarily
great dangers of the operation and the
uselessness of deliberately mourning
them. Certainly no method of treatment
is Unsuitable that is useless. But the OPP
Grafton in suitable cases is by no means
useless as shown by the lessening of the
suffering and the prolongation of life.
facts observed by physicians and friends,
and by the satisfaction expressed by the
patient himself. Transcript.