The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-06-03
SURGERY'S ADVANCE
 IN UNITED STATES
Southern Men Have Made
 Many Important Discoveries
DR. M'OOWELL'S OPERATION
Ridiculed Abroad for Years and Final Iy Accepted as One of Worlds Greatest iscoVeries-Names
 Famous in Science.
BY FREDERIC J. HAsKlN.

BY FREDERIC J. HASKlN.
 American surgeons are famed abroad because of their great devotion to sur gery as an art and their brilliant achieve ments in practical work It is said of Americans that they make fewer ad- vances as a result of careful study and calm reflection than Europeans. but that they surpass the surgeons of all countries
 In effectiveness in emergencies. In their great desire to rise to the occasion and save human llfe when heroic methods alone offer an opportunity to do so they have hit upon surgical discoveries that have given them the leadership during the last century Throughout the world hundreds of lives are being saved daily by the application of American methods in cases that formerly would have been fatal.
 Two important factors in the success of modern surgery are cleanliness and painlessness-proy through the use of antseptics and anaesthetics. Here the honors of discovery are divided between the new world and the old, antisepties being the discovery of an Englshman, and the use of anaesthetics being intro duced by Americans But in the intro duction of important surgical operations America has led since early in the nine teenth century, and especially during the last half century
 Formerly the patient who submitted to an operation was literally 'quivering victim under a cruel knife, subject to the shock of pain and the dangers of infec- ton frcm impurities. All of this has been changed. Operations are executed without suffering to the patient, and wounds heal without the healthy suppuraton" that was formerly the most encouraging sign of progress. Before anaesthetics were discovered surgery was confined chiefly to treating fractures and dislocations, ampu- tating limbs, removing tumors lgating arteries and cutting for the removal of gall stones Even the treatment of a dis location was serious because of the bar barous forcible extension methods that preceded manipulation.
 The surgeon who attempted new major operations before the discovery of anti septics and anaesthetics exposed himself to suspicion, and, in the event of fail- ure, to ostraeism and possible violence. One of the greatest names in the an- nals of surgery is that of Ephriam Me- Dowell of Danville, Ky, who had the courage to attempt an operation which opened the way for all abdominal sur gerry, as 1t Is practiced today, and which has resulted in the alleyiation of untold suffering and the saving of countless lives in all civilized countries. The Me Dowell operation. ovariotomy, was per formed under the most disadvantageous circumstances, and in the face of pub lie sentiment which would have crystal lized ir lynching had the patient died.
 Dr. Mcdowell realized that the woman under his care must die if nothing more than the ordinary treatment under such conditions was to be applied. He can didly told the patient that the operation he proposed to attempt had never been performed, and that 1t was attended with he gravest danger. After gaining her con sent the surgeon, approaching the dan ger to his reputation and possibly his life. as well as that of the patient, retired to his room and offered up a prayer for success. Without the use of any drug to dull the pain, merely covering the womans face with towel to prevent her from seeing the instruments, he per formed the operation and the patient recovered. His success was regarded by the profession as a happy accident It was looked upon as little short of a miracle when the public learned of it through dispatches to the New York and London papers.
 The London Lancet, then as now an authority published an editorial ridicul- ing the reports of Dr. McDowells sue- ! cess, and although he repeated the oper- aton, he and others who inflated him. were bitterly criticised by their col leagues. After a number of years re- suits proved beyond cavil the value of the Mcdowell operation and the surgeon was honored in this country and in Europe. Upon the occasion of his visit to Lon don, after he had been accorded world wide recognition, the Lancet published an editorial giving him credit for having made the most marked advance in his profession, and reprinted with apologies the sneering editorial published when the first news of his discovery reached Lon don. A monument raised by American physicians and surgeons to the memory of Dr. Mcdowell now stands in Dan- vile, although this great medical pio- neer was born in Virginia.
 When the use of anaesthetics became general there followed considerable dis cussion as to who should have the credit for the discovery. As early as 1S42 Craw- ford w. Long of Danielsville. Ga., used an anaesthetic in removing a tumor from l a negro's neck Like many country sur geons he failed to recognize the impor- tance of his discovery, modestly regard ing it as an expedient, and taking no trouble to give 1t publicity. About the same time Dr. T. C.. Morten, who had studied medicine after failing in business i in Boston became a partner of Horace | Wells, d dentist who had discovered the use of nitrous oxide gas as an anaesthetic | in dentistry.
 Dr. Morton had been experimenting with anaestheties, upon animals, dental ] patients, and himself, while in the of- flee of pr. Charles P. Jackson. but his 1 first opportunity to test his theory in a