The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1907-03-15

OunQ ouiSCOHo "i'S' ''oS o'NS'
Them a Place at the Very Head of
Their Profession.
Last April the writer left st. Mary's |
hospital at Rochester, Mimi, thirteen
days after he had been successfully |
operated on for gall stones by one
of the two greatest surgeons in the
world, DR.. Charles Mayo, who, to-
gether with his brother William, now
rightfully bear that reputation That
the Mayos today stand at the very
front of their profession is conceded
by medical men all over the civilized
world, and 1t is said that there is
never an operation performed by one
of the Mayos that Is not witnessed by
from ten to fifty brother surgeons
from as many states and countries to
study the methods employed by the
Mayos in their wonderfully successful
work. The morning that the writer
was operated upon there were thirty
surgeons to see how 1t was done, one
of them studious looking old sur
geon from Germany, two from the
state of Washington, one from Balti-
more, another from New York, and
others from states all over the ma
ton. More than that, If doctor or
any of his family must submit to an
operation he Immediately takes the
train for Rochester and becomes the
patient of one of the Mayos. During
the time we were in Rochester last
spring there were doctors there for
operations from Tacoma, Mississippi,
Texas, Iowa, California and two
brothers from Arkansas. These two
brothers are practicing physicians
and surgeons of Little Rock and one
accompanied the other to Rochester
to be operated on for gall stones. The
day after the patient was considered
out of danger, the brother was
stricken with an acute attack of APP
pendicitis and it was necessary to
operate Immediately to save his life
The operating surgeon at the head
of a hospital at Winona, Mimi, only
forty or fifty miles distant and a
strong competitor of the Mayos, was
here for the removal of gall stone
trouble, the physician recognizing,
even in the face of the jealousy which
naturally exists on the part of the
rival institution, that the Mayos are
the most skillful men in their line in
the world, and came to Rochester for
treatment.
Stand High With Surgeons.
AS illustrating the place these sur
geons hold in the minds of brother
surgeons, there is current story in
Rochester of southern practitioner
of considerable note who, finding him.
self compelled to undergo serious
abdominal operation, went to New
Orleans to put himself in the hands
of celebrated specialist. He found
the specialists Office closed on account
of illness. There was fine operator
at Memphis. Thither the patient went
only to be confronted with the an
nouncement: away for a month"
Cincinnati was his next stop. The
man he wanted to see there was in
Europe. He telegraphed to the Mayos
and took train for Rochester.
you've come quite distance, doc
tor" said the superintendent, who
greeted him.
Eyes, but not direct" replied the
Southerner. Frankly, l intended to
go to DR.. M, of New Orleans, but
failed to find him"
EYES," said the superintendent "he's
been here for ten days, and is conva
descent now"
Then" pursued the patient, 81 tried
DR.. S. of Memphis, but"
He'll be able to see you by the time
you're able to see him." said the smil-
ing superintendent. Hes in the
second room down that hall"
you haven't got DR.. l. of Gin
cinnati, here, have you?" asked the
other looking at him suspiciously
"They told me he was in Europe"
He is by this time. We shipped
him off last week to recuperate after
\ a gastrotomy operation"
The evening the writer entered the
hospital the first person he came in
contact with other than the nurses
was a doctor from Mississippi. The
doctor had been operated on a few
days before for ulcer of the stomach.
For six years he had been unable to
eat anything but liquid foods and he
had fallen in weight from over 200
pounds to less than 100, He left the
hospital within two weeks from the
time he was operated on and went to
a boarding house near by, where he
ate ham and cabbage for dinner.
The Mayos are thus shown to have
the fullest confidence of their CO
workers in the mission of saving lives.
Fellowship In Hospital.
There is certain fellowship among
people who find themselves in a hos
pital, and in very short time every
patient becomes interested in the well