Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1909-12-29
WONDERS OF MEDICAL SCIENCE,
Patients Chat as Surgeons Operate
BY New Anesthetic.
(New York Dispatch to Philadelphia
North American.)

lay on the operating table at the hos
pital OF the New York Society for the
Relief Of the Ruptured and Crippled,
to-day. Around the table were fifty
physicians and surgeons, among them
the best known of their profession.
DR.. Thomas Jonnesco, the Rouma-
nian surgeon, stepped up to the ta-
BILE, smiled reassuringly at the little
chap, patted him on the shoulder,
and gently turned him on h . back.
The boy smiled bravely back at the
surgeon, and the New York medi-
cal men leaned forward trife,
watching intently.
The slim needle of hypodermic
syringe glittered for moment in
the Roumanian's hand. He pressed
the point of it into the boys back,
low down on the spinal column, and
injected his new anesthetic, solu-
,tion Of stovaine and strychnine. The
boy fiinched and the medical men
looked at each other. Jonnesco
waited less than two minutes, then
bowed to DR.. Virgil P. Gibney, retir-
ing to give him elbow room.
DR.. Gibney, a celebrated orthoped-
ic specialist, took hold Of the boys
right foot and began to cut away the
flesh with the knife. 1t was a case
Of fnfantile paralysis. The boys
right leg was crippled and useless.
1t was necessary to make incisions
around the Achilles tendon and
stretch 1t. In such cases ether Is
used customarlly as an anesthetic,
for the operation Is so delicate and
painful that complete analgesia, or
insensibility to pain, must be obtain
ed to prevent movement on the part
Of the patient, and to do away with
suffering.
Boy Feels No Pain.
While Dr.. Gibney's hands moved
swiftly and surely, the medical men
talked among themselves, watching
the boy, who lay perfectly conscious,
his face covered with a towel. Prof.
Jonnesco spoke rapidly in French, ex-
planning this or that phase of the ope-
ration as it was connected with the
uses Of his anesthetics. Occasionally
some one, DR.. Gibney, or Mr.. Soutzo,
Prof. Jonnesco's associate, spoke to
the boy. Once he was asked:
How do you feel?"
There was perfect stiffness in the
big operating room. The surgeons
waited intently for the boys answer.
1t was so quiet that the cries of the
newsboys on t e street came uproar-
iously through the windows.
"All right" said the boy, his treble
muffled a bit by the towel over his
eyes and face.
do you feel any pain?"
at doesn't hurt at ALL" said the
boy. Il feel fine."
Jonnesco smiled quietly, trium-
phantly. The medical men glanced
around at each other again. Some
OF them, as was to be seen easily,
were enthusiastic. Others shook
their heads as if still in doubt.
Twenty-Five Minute Operation.
After about twenty-five minutes
the operation was completed and the
wound bandaged. The little boy was
carried back to his cot. They took
the towel off his face. The surgeons
looked to see If there we're traces Of
pain there or signs Of nausea. There
wasn't the slightest indication of
suffering or sickness. The child was
smiling at DR.. Bennett, the house sur
geon. He seemed to be quite at his
ease and in the full possession Of all
his senses.
That was the first Of four cases at
the hospital in which Prof. Jonnesco,
who discovered how a combination OF
strychnine and stovaine may be used
as a local anesthetic safely and pain
lessly while the patient remains per-
fectly conscious, demonstrated the
uses OF his application.
His demonstration was regarded
as brilliant success by most Of the
surgeons present They hesitated
generally TO express opinions for pub
lication at this time, but the major
ity were evidently of the idea that
Jonnesco has made good.
Dr.. William j. Mayo, Of Rochester,
Mimi, attended the demonstration as
the special guest Of Prof Jonnesco.
DR.. Mayo was so impressed that he
invited the koumanian scientist to
visit the West and demonstrate his