The Newtown bee., 1906-11-02
OvERcoN FIDENT SURGEONS.
lFRoM GOOD HOUsEKEEPING. l

When doctors disagree, an editor, standing on neutral ground, is disposed to make public the two sides of a case facts have reached us, in one way and another, which seem to call for word of caution concerning hospitals and surgeons.
 Ayoung woman undergoing critical operation in October, was told by her SurgeOnt hat she might eSume teach ing after the Thanksgiving recess. It devOlved upon the family doctor, of no great professional standing, to con- sider the abnormal condition of the
 patients nervous system and fix the danger limit as the first of January. Another young woman, with no kindly geOn'S dismissal and after respite of one year returned to the surgeons knife, because "I left the hospital too soon." A young man returned be- cause the wound had not knit strongly enough and the delicate membrane had become torn. This, moreover, when the SIX months between the two oper- atiOns had been spent in as nearly in- active condition as an otherwise healthy man could endure. These are concrete cases, all actual and all per haps duplicated within the readers personal knowledge. There is reason to suspect they are typical of a large number. Are there not indications of a dangerous reliance upon the power of surgery, to the neglect of thorough re- cuperation under the physician s care? A review of the yearly reports from the more prominent hospitals shows a marked preponderance of surgical over medical cases. Two conditions, at least, are responsible for this fact. The hospital is still last resort; it is ab- SOlutely necessary for surgical at- tentiOn, but not inevitable for even a serious illness. Furthermore, unless pneumonia, typhoid or maternity case is involved, little interest is felt by the hospital in the endless round of digestive and nervous diseases which usually constitute the medical side. Americans must see quick results, even in science; surgery is quick, sometimes ment is hampered by obstacles beyond the physicians control. Under these circumstances, in view of the rapid strides made in the knowledge and practice of surgery, the hospitals have become crowded to congestion. The result is often waiting list and tendency to push oot the convalescing as soon as they can safely leave. Be- cause surgeons are eager for interesting cases and hospitals are making records in their year books, by reason of the waiting lists of sufferers, there has arisen condition in the surgical world akin to the characteristic rush of American business and social life.
 We have gathered statistics from a number of high class hospitals, all NO3nn n0n6 vnrk n Q nf 19 days is allotted each patient by one hospital. The time varies with others, one reaching maximum time of only 26 days and 12 hours. Suffice 1t to say the periods are markedly brief. The layman finds himself asking whether the hospitals are too few or surgical operations too many-sOme of us in- cline to the latter opinion. This is prominently the day of the surgeon, as against the physician, but isn't the former, with his swifter methods and more brilliant personal reputation, in danger of going too far? We would urge patients, before they accept the dictum of their surgeons so literally, to have the counsel of good physician. Indications are not lacking of jealousy between these two branches of the profession and disagreement which may result in the patients undoing.
 With reference to the hospitals 1t is but Just to add that in no branch of public service have greater strides been made within recent years than in their administration. The overhauling of famous Bellevue was but the beginning of reform which has abolished insuf- ficient working forces, long hours and unsanitary conditions from practically every hospital in the United States.