The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-04-19

consumption, even when tending rap
idly to its last stages, has been cured,
by bleedings digitalis, and mercuriai
salvation "Dropsy has been cur
ed" 'Gout has been torn from its
ancient sanctuary" CalOmel was his
hobby and he rode it almost to death.
Twenty, forty, sixty, eighty, grain
doses repeated frequently was his
treatment in many conditions. His
pupils naturally followed his example,
and often tried larger doses than those
prescribed by their master, and finally
ended by bringing one of the greatest
drugs we have at our command To-
day, into i'll repute. Yet the most in
portant result achieved by his con-
slant labor to benefit his fellOwmen
and alleviate their sufferings, was the
impetus given to scientific research.
The history of medical journalism
dates back to tae foundation of the
New York Medical Repository, during
the last years Of the eighteenth CEN
fury, by Elinu H. Smith, who still hel /
to the old method of treatment, but
who believed and taught as far back
as 1898 that yellow fever was not
directly contagious. The eighteenth
century also marks the Anatomical
Epoch Both students and teachers
rifed graves regardless of sex or con
dition, for dissecting material. 1t was
an age of development; that age when
the anatomical foundations of our
present system Of medicine and sur
gerry were laid. :
WITH the dawning of the nineteenth
century, Paris and the French schoOI
stood supreme. At that time, it must
be remembered, there were but three
medical schools in Anerlca-the
Pennsylvania school the New York
school (about to give up the ghost)
and the Baby Harvard school. About
this time the question was asked,
What has America done to further.
the cause of Medfcine?" And the an
swer was, Practically nothing"
AS | am anxious to give little in
sight into what has taken place since
that time, we will suppose that ques-l
ton to have been deferred until to-
night, and as an American, l shall en-
deavOr to give "a partial answer to our
friends across the sea.
Mitchell, of New Hampshire, was
the first to ligate the common carotid
artery, in 1895, GIBSON of Maryland,
the first to tie the common lilac; Val
entine Mott the first to perform this
operation successfully In 1918, while
operating on a case of aneurism, Mott
intended to tie the branch Of the in
nominate artery. He found this
branch so diseased that he gave up the
attempt, dissected further and TIED
the innominate itself. From this
operation he awoke to find himself
famous. Motifs patient, however,
died, and the credit for the first sue
cessful operation of this character be-
longs to A. W. Smyth, a New Orleans
surgeon. Mott was also the first to
amputste the entire clavicIe. Brasher
of Kentucky first amputated the hip
joint in 1906. Fhysic the inventor of
absorbaTble ngatures, was the first to
apply rest IN hip joint disease and
this, in opposition to the teachings Of
his time. He was also the Inventor
of the tonsillotome. Post of New
York first hgated the subcaVian
Deideribk Of tennessee was the first
to remove the inferior maxiIIa, while
of Baltimore did the first
excelsior of the superior maxilla War
rem of Boston was the drst to exter-
pate the parotid gland. Knight of
in 1S48, was the first to-
use digitAl compression in the cure OF
aneurism. The first operation for ex-
cisiOn of the tongue was performed by
Harris, while Swift Of Pennsylvania
was the first to use extension in the
treatment of fractures. Contempor-
airy with physic, was Ephriam Nc
Dowell, the first surgeon to peTformj
ovaiotomy. For centuries, the great
est surgeons. of the old world had look
ed upon this operation as impossible,
and it remained for a man from the ;
western wilds of America to demon
strate its feasibility. It has been es-
timated that one million years are
added to the lives of our countTy's
women annually by this operation.
Walcott of Milwaukee was the first
10 remove the kidney. In 1S49, Det-
mold first trephined for brain abscess. :
The modern world owes more than. it , ,
ian ever pay TO the original work of !
Sims in gynecology. To American =
is due the credit for the
work in intestinal sur :
gerry. Let all doff their hats to Muir (,
ply. In 1885 an American surgeon
vas the first 10 open the abdomen for ;
he removal of the appendix. In the :
discovery and application of anesthe-
ia, America stands out alone. While
here were divers claim as to who was
he discOverer. the credit was entire :
Y granted by Europeans to the Unit !
ID States. Whatever may be said as :
o whom the credit should be given, :
is undisputed, that Morton of Bos- :
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