The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-01-28
COCAINE IN SURGERY.
Dr. Corning Trying to Improve His
Method of Treatment.

Method of Treatment.
NEW YORK, Jan 2S,-Dr. James Leon
ard Corning. who is acknowledged to be
the discoverer Of spinal anaesthesia, IS
engaged in researches regarding the pos
sible Improvement in the technique of the
method He was seen at his home. %
West Thirty eighth Street, by a reporter
yesterday, and when asked as to the ma
ture and result of his researches said:
1T would be premature for me TO speak
about the researches that I am making
before their publication n medical Iitera-
ture. These researches / hope viii even
tuate in decided Improvement IN the
methods at present in vogue"
II was learned yesterday that what is
now called the Corning method OF using
cocaine in surgery is daily growing in
favor. peculiar coincidence IL the
adoption OF the method IS that no well
authentica led fatal casualties have as Vet
been reported in any part OF the world,
so far as can be learned. and that the
opposition to the use OF e. her and chloro-
form was much more obstinate and i'm
Placabie than anything spinal anaes hesia
has encountered. The us= OF tuIs method
/ in certain surgical cases became Widely
known some months ago, wnen some lad
ing surgeons in Germany announced hat
they had adopted the method According
to some Of the leading physicians IN tbs
city and elsewhere. cocaine VIII never
take the place OF ether or Cbl0rofOrm as
a general anaest hasia- They think thar
: It's Heid IN surgery IS limited.
When asked about the recent results Of
( the use OF cocaine IN surgery Dr. George
f Shrady said:
The recent usage OF cocaine IN surgical
cases. according to the Corning method
E hoe a.. tod ?
as 70 its great value weTe true The Cor
ming method is especially used in mid
WiIery So far no fatal cases have been
reported. The use Of the method is sun
/ in the experimental stage. I am Of the
! opinion that its field OF operation IS lin
tied, and that cocaine viii never take the
place of ether or chIorofcrIu as a general
anaesthesia- Surgeons are feeling their
way and using the Corning method wher-
ever they can
According to reports. Dr. Murphy. of
Chicago, the specialist on abdominal
surgery. and DR. NattaS Of New Orleans.
are using the Corning method a great
deal. and they are said 10 be delighted
with the results. Many other leading
surgeons in the West and the South have
adopted the method. Ever since his dis
coyeFies as TO the use Of cocaine in Ger
tain surgical cases, Dr. Corning has been
thought by many persons to be sur
noyance. He is q specialist on diseases
affecting he ment@; and nervous system
In speaking On the subject yesterday
afternoon a well-knOEn physician said
DR. Corning not only discovered spinal
anaest hesia but the method known as 10
cal anaeSthesia by Incarceration OF the
auaesthelIc- This discovery he made
about sixteen years ago. simultaneously
with spinal anaesthesia- The method that
is called local Sn1es hesia consists in PASS
ing a iiSatLl-e around The limb to be ops
rated upon. so az to stop the CtrCulu ton
and prevent the removal Of the anaes-
th-tfc from the ECld OF operation Icy alb
sarptfon into general circulation This
method has been used for years by sur
Ferrs With favorable results
Having found hat seESibility could he
annihiIated III the trunks of nerves in his
way il occurred TO Dr.. Corning that II
might be feasible by Injecting an anaes-
thetic down to the spinal cord 70 block
the paths Of sensation in the spinal cord
and so prevent the transmission Of pain
full sensations to the brain To appre-
ciate the practical significance of this
proposal II must be borne in mind that all
sensation Is transmitted through the
spinal cord to the brain. Hence when an
anaesthetic is injected down 10 the lower
portion of the spinal ccrd all that p1r-
ton of the body lying below the point Of
pain. In view Of this, operations OF the
greatest magnitude and duration can b.
performed on feet legs, thigh. abdomen
in short up TO the waist, and even some
what higher, without causing any pain
TO the patient DR.. CorEing's first arti-
Gle regarding this discovery was pub
ushed in October 1855. This was a year
before anything had been done. as near
as [ can learn, on the subject in any part
of the world The cocaine is injected
down to the cord in the lumbar region
Of the spine.
In my opinion this method Will be gen
orally used in future in cases where The
administration of a general anaesthetic,
like ether or chloroform is dangerous. on
account Of the condition OF the patient as
in heart disease. pulmonary complications
and kidney affection This method is row
used in great many cases of hernia. and
in operations on abdominal organs. II is
particularly advantageous in hernia, be-