The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1902-12-04
GOOD ANGEL OF CRIPPLE
Professor Lorena rells Of ala methot

Professor Loren1 Tells Of ria Method
OF snrsery.
you want to know something about
my early life2" Professor Adoiph Lo
REM of Austria. who performs miracles
IN surgery, repeated III response to q
question from the New York Word
corresponding at Chicago. Wen, il
the first place, was not bornin Wen
ma. | was born on a farm in northern
Austria My father was not particular
" wealtny, and when | was led
bad to work hard very hard.
~ did not go to Vienna until /, began
the study of medicine. When entered
the university there, | soon became in
terested in orthopedic surgery, and
have since made this study the aim Of
ny life. l was poor student, at least
so far as money goes, and had nc
easy time of it.
Some fifteen years ago, when 1t was
generally considered among surgeons
that nothing could be done to effect q
cure of congenital hip dislocation
Buckminster Brown, a surgeon living
IN Boston, conceived the idea of hold
ing patient in extension, and by trac
ton to stretch the tissues sufficiently
to bring the head of the femur oppo
site the socket. This treatment mel
with little appreciation In America, but
was accepted In England and is used
there today in the treatment Of many
cases.
This was, however, a treatment
almost as bad as the disease. and Il
was questionable whether or not any
good resulted from such operations
At last 1t was found that the pa
TENTS were not cured. But the effect
Of this theory upon the profession was
to stimulate interest and research, anG
In Germany, Italy. Austria and the
United States some slight advance
ment was made.
Mine years ago Plea. the famous
Italian surgeon, and myself conceived
the same idea Of operation without
knife-by manipulation. | operated up
on child and was successful He
operated upon an adult and failed
The surgeons both of Europe and
America were for several years quite
loath to accept this form Of treatment
II was a manner of manipulation an6
seemingly apart from regular surgical
procedure, and many verbal battles
were fought as to whether or not
had made an actual reduction OF the
dislocation. There Is no longer any
dispute about 1t. That l did make
and have since made. such actual re
auctions has been proved not alone
by anatomical dissection, which is IN
answerable, but the X ray, the func
ticnal result and the unmistakab.e
phenomena at the time of the opera
ton prove that actual reductions are
made.
THE success Of the treatment de
ponds upon a minute attention to de
tails after the first actual reduction OF
the dislocation is made. These details
refer 70 the position Of the limb, the
stretching of the contracting and dislo
eating muscles and the enlarging Of the
anterior portion of the capsule of the
socket and by manipulation before in.
casing the limb In the plaster cast
After this Is done apply a plaster OF
paris dressing, such as will thoroughly
immobilize the limb and still permit
sufficient weight to be transmitted
through the shaft of the bone to en-.
able nature to do her part of the work
in forming and deepening the socket,
which must so grasp the head of the
bone as to give 1t support after the pa
ttent dispenses with the plaster.
"Now, 1t must not be thought that
the application of this plaster is any
secondary part Of the treatment of
these cases. The plaster cast must be
so strong as to hold firmly in the de
sired position for six months. Yes, the
cast must be worn that long. 1t must
be cushioned, too, and adjusted SO that
it will not be source Of discomfort tc
the patient.
II believe 1t my duty to alleviate al:
the suffering can, whether among the
rich or poor. If the rich pay prince
~ fee; 1t will allow me to devote more
time to the poor"