The Savannah morning news., 1900-09-09

euch high authority that the muitfplica-
tion Of scientific appliances r. not witn-
out iis drawbacks
Mr.. Treves points 60 the great extern
sisH Of operative eDgsfy. which has erased
10 he confined to the specially gifted AMI
experienced few. The more ambitious
performances OF surgery" ne enyn. are
no longer restricted 90 great centcrs. but
are carried out in the little town. IN ths
cottage hospital. and even in the cottage
Itself" The days OF the great operator
are passing away. and the general prac-
tSionfr unhesitofinRsy undertakes che
work himself The change IL. on che
whole. for the good. bur Il ~ accompanies
BY certain dangers. II may lead 70 ths
occasional performance OF major opera
lions by men who are not Justified. either
~ experience or BY training. IN undertake
ing them" ana there n also a general
temptation 90 bring the knife too often
into play. The public ans certainly begun
TO suspect q. and Mr.. Treves admits that
che impression is not without reason.
though Il II probably less true of this
country than Of some others. The error.
however. ~ only incidental. and can he
easily corrected by force Of example and
teaching.
A more serious dssadvantage IN the
nsosieFn methods r. the loss OF quaiisies
which were formerly cultivated OF neces-
sity but are now likely 20 deteriorafe
by tack OF use. Surgeons were wont "a
depend on a refined sense Of touch 20
aid them In diagnosis and Il was the pos
session OF this Gift in the greatest per-
lection thot made the supreme artist.
while its development was an essential
element % surgical education. Now tao
sfle Eensibiity r. replaced by various me
chanical appliance which give more
exact Information with less trouble. Tho
examination OF deep seated injuries 20
Joints and homes for instance. required
much manual skin. Now such cases can
be handed over after the merest glance
20 the Rontgen operator. whose skia-
graph informs the surgeon OF the nature
Of the lesion. without his having to touch
the limb at an Again. an Obscure tumor
OF deep seated swelling comes under OH
servasion. To dedace lie nature from tho
physical signs meant. IN ADDITION 70 skill
"a manipulation. the exercise Of much
thought and judgment, whereas modern
surgery offers a short cut by means 0f
an exploratory lncialon." or BY the IN
sertion OF the swelling. Similarly. there
arc various forms Of ulcers. some Of n
harmless. Others OF y malignant, charac-
ter. ana n a sometimes very dificuIt
10 distinguish between them Instead OF
making a minute inspection OF such a Gaze
and bringing into pay the faculties OF
tAHtfNMitbNs UtNutVfA ana lNuAulttts tbN
modern practitioner can put fragment
under the microscope ana End his doubts
resolved AZ a glance. One more Illus
trauoD Of the same thing II worth men
uonlng. because Il applies 90 the physician
az well as the surgeon. and IL daily CON-
Ing more and more widely into use. Dr.
agnosis hy bacteriologlcal examination n
rapidly superseding the whole art ara
craft of clinical observation. IL IL no
longer the condition OF the patient. the
asaemhlage % signs and symptoms. read
By an Instructed eye and interpreted BY
reason and experience. that determine tho
question. but che behavior OF somethluK
IN the test tube which the bacteriologief
mnnipuiales. and 30 saves the pfacft-
toner all trouble. This and the other
methods Indicated are undoubtedly val
uabie aids TO knowledge. has as short
cuts to diagnosis they certainly tend 70
do away with those qualities which made
the great men OF the past what they were.