Weekly Arizona journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1903-1908, 1905-06-07
REMARKABLE CLINIC.


the clinical demonstration given yes
terday at Mercy hospital under the
direction of DR.. A. W. Morton, chief
surgeon of the Santa Fe system. 1t
has been this physician who has made
what is known as spinal anaesthesia
so prominently successful in the west,
and it was in illustration of this
wonderful method to kill pain in sur
gical operations that the demonstra-
ton was given. DR.. Morton left his
business in San Francisco to give this
demonstration to the society of Ari-
iona, and his voluntary kindness has
been highly appreciated by all the at
tending physicians.
Briefly explained this method is the
injection of cocaine at the base of the
spine under certain strict rules as to
the manner of preparing the drug and
of sterilizing it. Five minutes after
it has been properly injected the pa
tient is in readiness for the operation,
and is entirely free from pain while
undergoing it. The first case yester-
day was for hernia, the patient,
man 81 years old. He chatted with
the doctors while being operated on,
and said he felt no pain. Later he ate
a hearty supper, and showed no signs
of fever
The second demonstration was upon
a patient suffering from an internal
growth near the bladder This was
removed while the patient laughed
and talked. A third operation was
performed upon a man having a badly
fractured foot, requiring the removal
of a bone. He would not believe the
bone had been distracted until shown
the bone itself.
This mode of preparing for the knife
does away with all tho dangerous after
effects of chloroform or et}~r. and DR..
Morton explains that he has used it in
about 2.2OO operations, all of which
were entirely successful.
The method has been known since
1855, when it was first adopted by
New York physician. hut because of
the unsatisfactory manner of securing
the drug and sterilizing it. was not
popularized nor generally understood or
put into use. Some five years later it
was taken M in Paris. and thereafter
American doctors adopted it in GER
tain cases.
DR.. Morton has perfected the method
so that operations can be performcE on
any portion of the body and under any
condition of the patient. such as in lis
eases of the heart, lungs and kidneys.
He has used it more extensively than
any other surgeon in the world.
Yesterdays session Of the territorial
society was largely taken MP with the
clinic demonstration. but at the morn
ing meeting several interesting papers
were read. which were received with
markd attention. DR.. Morton Illus
tratd his address on the various meth
DDS Of treatment for rupture by n
of his own make. and all those who
heard him are pronounced in their
praise of his instructive address.
After deciding that the next an
nual meeting should be held in Phoenix,
the following officers were selected to /
serve during the ensuing wear:
President-Dr. J. W. Coleman. of I.
jerome. succeeding Or. W. II. Ward. I
of Phoenix.
First Vice President DR. A. W. o. F.
cult, of Tucson. succeeding Dr. E. F. /
Burton of Tucson.
Second Vice President-Dr. o. E. /
Plath, of Phoenix. succeeding DR.. E.
B. Ketcherside. Of Yuma
Third Vice President-Dr. Early of
Kingman, succeeding DR.. c. E. Yount,
Of Prescott.
seeretary-Dr. J. W Foss, of Phoe-
nix, succeeding himself.
Treasurer-Dr. R. F. Palmer. of
Roosevelt, succeeding Or. J. W. Cole
man, of Jerome.
Counsellors-Dr. c. E. Yount of
one year, northern district;
Dr.. Ancil Martin Of Phoenix. middle
district, two years; Dr. II. W. Fenner,
If Tucson, southern district, three
Years.
Delegate to American Medical As
II. \. Hughes of Phoe-
Xix; alternate, DR.. F. W. Sawyer, of
Prescott.
Essayist-Dr. II. p. Thomson of
Fort Whipple.
After leaving the hospital all the
listing doctors were furnished with
and driven over the Muir {
Thy boulevard, and from there to DR..