New-York tribune., 1902-06-25
LOCAL DOCTORS COMMENT.
THEY FEAR THE KINGS AGE WILL
TELL AGAINST HIM.


gravest fears in his case They were united IN
| saying that perityphlitis made necessary an OPP
| Grafton similar to that for appendicitis, the
| two diseases being closely allied. and that the
| operation attended with much danger. par
| ticularly with person of the Kings age and
! corpulency.
Perityphlitis is Inflammation of the support
| ing tissues surrounding the upper parts of the
| large intestine known as the colon. Appendi-
| citis is the Inflammation of the vermiform ap-
| pendix. which is attached to the cRcum the
| blind pouch. cul-de-sac at the beginning of
| the large intestine, Typhlitis is Inflammation of
| the tissues of the cacum itself Formerly peri
| typhl1ts was the term used in cases of ap-
| pendicitis, before the disease of the vermiform
| appendix well understood Surgeons of
the present day say that appendicitis is the
| initial disease, rule, and that the spread of
| inflammation to the tissues produces typhlftfs
| or perftyphlitis or both.
| "Pertyphtis is without appendicitis"
! Dr. George F. Shrady said last evening. "and
| the reports would indicate that the disease has
| been coming gradually for several days.
therefore, there is room for belief that the King
| had appendicitis some days ago. The official
announcement speaks of a recrudescence becom-
| ing manifest yesterday, rendering an operation
necessary. This means that the symptoms of
| inflammation first noticed had subsidized some
fiammation. An Inflammation In the vermiform
appendix may have subsided somewhat and
| then spread to the tissues
THE MOST FAMOUS LIVING STURGEON
ANY criticism that operation performed
sooner might have prevented the formation of
an abscess would be uncharitable at this time
There are many cases In which the symptoms
of appendicitis of perityphlits are obscure
There hat
physicians and surgeons of the greatest skill.
Sir Joseph Lister is perhaps the most famous
living surgeon His discovery of antiseptic
! dressings was one Of the greatest aids to sur
gerry known Sir Frederick Treves. sergeant
surgeon to the King who is said to have per-
formed the operation stands at the head of
his profession.
IT is too early at this distance with the
| information at hand. to make any attempt at
prediction in this The report that the
King had awakened from long sleep after the
operation would indicate that he does not suffer
much from the shock. Probably it will be
twenty-four hours before 1t can be known If
any complications to impede or prevent his
recovery. Kidney trouble. for instance might
be a serious complication. 1 should expect that
the Kings recovery would be slow. in any
event. and that It would be several weeks before
he could be permitted to leave his bed"
DR.. Smith Ely Jelliffe said he would not doubt
the correctness of the diagnosis of the physicians
and surgeons in attendance upon King Edward.
They men OF the highest standing in the
profession he declared. and It cannot be
doubted that they will do all that could be
done in this emergency. The case is a ~most
serious one. judging by the reports hand I
should suppose that the King has had appendi-
ctis and that the Inflammation has extended to
the nearby tissues. resulting in abscess.
which demanded operation the only
Of saving the life of the patient. There can be
doubt that the operation was performed with
skill and that the King will have the advan-
tage OF the most scientific treatment to be had
anywhere in the world. One make a
prediction. of course. but If there COM
plica tions recovery may be looked for. 1t will
be day or two. possibly. before the Kings at
tendants can tell If there are to be complica-
tions'
DR. CYRUS EDSON'S OPINION.
IAN operation such as has been performed
upon King Edward is attended with much dan
ger" DR.. Cyrus Edison said. particularly in the
case OF person who has reached the age of
sixty years. who has been a high liver and who
is inclined to corpulency. The removal of
abscess would indicate extent of inhamma-
ton which is extremely dangerous. Perityphlitis.
the disease which made the operation necessary
to the Kings life. is Inflammation of the
connective tissues surrounding the colon. and
which hold the colon in its place in the abdo-
men.
The symptoms first noticed pains in the
blck and in the abdominal region. AS the in
fammation increases. there is danger of the
formation of an abscess There may have been
delay in operating upon the King in the hope
that the inflammation would subside under
treatment. The physicians and surgeons in at
tendance upon the King are at the head of the
profession in England. Sir Joseph Lister is the
most celebrated living ugeon. He has done
more than any living surgeon for humanity by
his discovery of the antiseptic dressing and the
catgut ligature, which used in operations
for appendicitis and have helped to make these
operations successful. In England the physi-
clan ranks above the surgeon. | believe
have in this country larger number of promi-
nent surgeons that are skilled in operations
for appendicitis than to be found in Eng
land. The disease has been studied in this
country more carefully. perhaps. than in Eu-
rope, and it is sometimes called the American
disease"
The operation for the removal of an abscess.'
DR.. Paul Outerbridge said. may mean in the
case of King Edward that he had appendicitis.
that the vermiform appendix broke. and that
the pus was scattered to the adjoining tissues.
If the pus was walled off from the inner
cavity of the bowel, the operation to remove
the abscess may not have been nearly so dan
grous ordinary operation for appendicitis.
1 have performed many such operations with
the best possible results. In such cases recov-
cries have been rapid. If the pus not
walled off from the interior of the bowel how
ever the operation was a particularly dan
gerCus
"Of course recovery must depend greatly