Connecticut western news. [volume] (Salisbury, Litchfield Co., Conn.) 1871-1970, 1901-02-07
SPINAL AN&STRESlA.
Wonderful Results and Promise o
"Cornlng Method"

"Corning Method"
DIR. j. Leonard Corning, a distin-
guished specialist in nervous and men,
tai troubles of New York and a recog-
nIzed authority in his branch of med
ical science, is the discoverer of 1.-The
Corning method of spinal an@sthesia,"
discovery that Is regarded by med
ical authorities as almost equal to the
development of etherization.
Briefly described, the Corning meth
cd is the accomplishment of anesthe-
STA, or loss of sensation, In the lower
half of the body alone, without caus-
| ing unconsciousness. 1t consists of the
| infection into the spinal canal, as the
| longitudinal cavity in the spine is call
| ed, of a solution of hydrochlorate Of
| cocaine, commonly called cocaine. The
| injection is made at about the waist
line, and the solution unites with the
fluid surrounding the spinal cord. For
this fluid 1t has a chemical affinity.
| The paralyzing effect of the cocaine Is
| Immediately made manifest In the SEN
sorry fibers that communicate with the
nerves of the lower half of the body.
AS result all sensation Is lost In those
parts, and surgical operations may be
performed without pain to the subject.
Curiously enough, the cocaine affects
the sensory but not the motor nerves,
and even after the injection Is made
the patient is capable of locomotion.
The Corning method possesses in
finite advantages over the method of
complete anathesia. Patients are
spared the sitting vapors of chloro-
form or ether and the struggling for
breath and the horrible imaginings so
common to the old method. The dan
ger of complete collapse from kidney
or heart disease is done away with.
Although the patient retains his con-
seriousness and knows what is going
on, 1t Is usually deemed best to blind
| fold him.
Several hundred operations have been
/ performed in which the Corning meth
! cd has been used without single ia
/ tally. Certain classes of nervous or
/ hysterical persons never receive the
new treatment, for their fortitude
could not withstand the nervous shock
of knowing that the operation is being
I performed even without actual pain.
For them complete anesthesia Is ad-
| visable.
The new method Is of inestimable
benefit In cases Of abdominal surgery,
in hernia, in obstetrics and in all opera
lions on the lower limbs. That 1t will
ever be applied to the upper half of the
body Is considered by eminent medical
authorities open to much doubt Co.
came has temporarily paralyzing ef-
feet and is not always trustworthy
and the danger of applying it to the
vital nerve centers, which are all stu
ated above the middle of the body and
which control the vital processes-res.
piration, heart action, brain action and
so on-cannot be oyerestimated. Co
caine must never be allowed to reach
these important nerve centers.
, The Corning method, although of In.
finite and incalculable benefit to man.
/ kind. must be confined to the hands OF
! skillful and experienced surgeons. In
the hands of novices or reckless exper
| imenters 1t Is capable of great harm
I even when applied to the lower regions
Of the body. 1t is an exceedingly deli
cate operation, for all spinal surgery
requires infinite pains and exhaustive
knowledge.
DR.. Corning's discovery was not acct
dental, but was the result Of Logical
thinking on the subject Of cocainiza
ton. He made his discovery in 1885
only about six months after the discoy
cry of cocaine itself. Only within Q
few months, however, has his method
come into general use, owing to its del
icacy and also to what DR.. Corning
calls "an accident of science" Be
sides, DIR. Corning is not surgeon
and it was for the surgeons to take VI
his discovery. A German professor
recently attempted to take the credit
but 1t Is a matter of record that th'
honor unquestionably belongs to til,
able New York physician.