Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-06-28
xED1cA1 JOURNALS, VIEWS.
Latsness Of the Operation Causes Fear
Among Authorities.

Among Authorities.
The Medical News Of June es will say IN
an editorial on the kings Illness:
Twice within the short space of nine
months the entire world has turned it's at
tention to the words and deeds of members
of the medical profession. No more strik-
ing illustration of the important RESPONSE
biiities that the members of our profession
are called upon to assume can be offered
than on occasions when rulers and mon
archs are intrusted to their care. Every
practitioner of medicine is privileged there
fore, to a feeling of pride in his calling
when in serving its functions for those In
high estate some measure of its dignity and
Its value is made manifest.
p Yet under such trying times as the pres
ent the medical practitioner is not at his
best. Had King Edward VII of England
been humble bootblack, We hazard the
statement that his appendix would have
been gracing some museum jar in less than
twenty-feur hours following the initial
symptoms of sturbance; but being a roya!
parsonage, and his attack coming at most
inopportune moment, socially considered,
it seems not unlikely that his own desires.
laudable though they were, may be his I'M
doing. The personal equation in treatment
is always AN important element The pa
Trent desires, WniInS ana COnFenlenceS are
often considered in civil life by able ply
Sicfans against their best judgment; the
difficulties of orr Ennden confreres in this
respect can better be imagined than de-
Scribed. e
AT the present time of writing the out
look for the king is not unpromising Taken
as an outside problem, with the very few
facts given out by those in control. the
chances for recovery are happily on the in
crease. Abscess itself in appendicitis does
not necessarily portend fatal issue, and
when 1t is borne in mind that the ablest of
the worlds surgeons are in comm and, it is
certain that every resource of the profess
sion will be laid under tribute for the bene-
tit of the royal sufferer"
This weeks issue of the New York Med-
cal Journal deals extensively with King Ed
wards case.
DR.. Alexander H. Ferguson, professor of
clinical surgery in the College of Physicians
and Surgeons, Chicago, telegraphs:
Judging from even the .meager data at
hand OF operative findings by Treves and Of
the .post-operative conditions, 1 am inclined
to give grave prosnosis. If he were beg
gar instead of a king I judge that an early
operation, within twenty-four hours of on
set OF the attack, as Is our rule In Chicago,
would probably have been done, and there
by the disease promptly robbed Of it's dan
ger The unfavorable features of the kings
case are his mental misbodngs, age, re-
ported state or his constitution and late
operation
The Journal says, editorially:
In the light Of our own London dis
patches, and of such other information as
appears to US to be trustworthy, We feel
perfectly certain that a correct diagnosis
was made in the kings case at as early a
period as was possible, and that the oper-
alive Intervention was we'll timed and con
Quoted with the utmost skill and prudence
Sir Frederick Treves and his associates
IN the case may rest assured that their
management of it meets with the entire ap-
prevail of the leading surgeons of the world
re- he from, T
don. We are happy to say. indicates fair
prospect of the kings recovery"
Dr. Robert F. Weir, president of the New
York Academy of Medicine writes:
1T is well known in the inner medical
circles in London that King Edward has
been the subject for several years past of
diabetes. 1t is this factor that lends gravity
and anxiety to the king s. condition. So far
he has progressed favorably, and it NAV
be hoped that recovery will be unimpeded
by the constitutional affection under which
ne has labored for 80 long in the past In
fact. many diabetes do we'll under surgical
interference. but it is well known the pres
ence of this disease is apt to bring about
unexpected complications"
DR.. Robert Able surgeon to ST Lukes
Hospital, writes of Sir Frederick Treves'
methods in the case:
IL reports are correct, that he simply
opened and drained the abscess, using rub
Der tube and gauze and desisted from
search for the appendix his action was
mastery: in it's simplicity and correctness.
A more ardent; en- thusiastic or fearless ops
erator might have pursued the matter to
IT'S iinish ana secured an appendix as a
trophy. but sacrificed his patient Science
and the people may be congratulated that
so conservative surgeon was In control"
The Medical Record will say tomorrow in
regard to the kings Illness:
The general medical opinion now Is to
the effect that ultimate recovery will be as
sured unless there be some Unforeseen turn
in present symptoms. There is no founda-
he hat 1;rr,,o Il
caused the intestinal trouble. The latter is
designated here as perityphlitis-a term in
general use 10 express the condition known
as appendicitis in America.
The wound is in healthy and uuiescent
condition. and there are no indications of
septic peritonitis The abscess was of large
size, and was opened in the usual manner,
by direct incison through abdominal walls
The Inflammation Is report ed to have been
limited to the site Of the abscess''
The reports that the king is on verge Of
collapse have no possible foundation. At no
time since the operation has be been in spe-
cial danger.
The foregoing Ia from a special dispatch
from the Medical Records correspondent.
Editorialiy it will say:
In analysing the clinical symptoms from
the time of the review at Aldershot on
June IA. it seems quite evident that the all
ment declared itself at that time with chill,
colicky pain, nausea and faintness In
view of subsequent events, many risks were
from one place to another during the for
nation of the adhesions which were to con-
stitute the protecting walls of the forming
abscess.
1t is hardly conceivable that the abscess
formed itself within the few hours preced-
Ing the operation, as intimated in the cable
dispatch to the Medical Record. Certainly,
as rule, large assesses of this kind form
rather slowly and give early local evidences
of their existence in the shape of rightly
of everything abdominal muscles, circum-
scribed tumescence. and distinct localized
pain on pressure. 1t is not at all likely
that these significant symptoms escaped
the notice of the distinguished medical ad-
visers, but they were evidently powerless in
preventing their royal patient from taking
the risks indicated.
Inasmuch as Lord Lister Is reported as in
timating that secondary operation may
be necessary In the case. it seems probable
that the appendix itself was not removed
Ii so, it was certainly good surgery. Those
who have had the largest experience In ap-
pendicitis are almost unanimously in favor
of such practice, and 1t Is only In excep-
tional instances. in which there is contin-
uous and distressing pain from old and
faulty adhesions. or persistently recurring
suppuration. that any attempts are made to
interfere wit pafuro's uauol N,otbo6 90 10