New-York tribune., 1909-12-29
DEFENDS STOVAINE
REPLIES TO CRITICS.
DR.. JOnnesco Believes 4nal-
gesic Viii Supersede Ether.

Since DR.. Thomas Jonnesco, the Rumani-
an surgeon. arrived on this side, about a
month ago, much criticism has been made
of his demonstrations of stovaine-strych-
nine as a spinal analgesic. Succeeding DR..
Jonnesco's exhibitions at hospitals in this
city and Philadelphia The New York
Medical Journal and several well known
surgeons have put themselves on record
beng rather skeptical over the new
analgesic, especially with reference to op-
erations on the upper trunk and head.
The Bucharest surgeon. however, is more
convinced than ever as tc the great ad-
vantage of his treatment and firmly be-
lieves that chloroform and ether will be
relegated to The scrap heap. Speaking yes
terday of some of the operations criticised
he said:
Concerning the case or breast am
putation at Philadelphia hospital. we
We're told that the patient was a woman of
some forty years of age. After the injec-
ton ii was seen that she was much older
in fact, she had no teeth, and was very
emaciated. Cancer always wrecks the sys-
tenn. She was not~placcd in the proper
position on the table. DR.. Aspinwall Rudd
reports case from the POSTGRADUATE Hos
pital in which the patient was rushed from
be rssorted to- l have operated on four
teen epileptics. spinal anasthcsia being al
ways preferable in those instances, the
heart depression of tie patient makes it
difficult and sometimes impossible TO use
cElorOform or ether.
I'm this case however, | did not even
know the patient was an epieptic, and did
not discover IL until he lad a conVulsion
while or the table. Had l known he was
an epileptic l would hive placed his head
in another position. Thus has much to do
with the success of the operation.
And the resort to artificial respiration
was because he was an epileptic, not be
cause stovaine had been used" said George
Soutzo, Professor Jonnesco's friend who
is acting as his secretary during his visit
here.
DR.. Jonnesco went on to say that all
sorts OF patients had been offered him for
demonstrations-you Ole crippled and
weak. He refused one patient in Phila-
delphia, saying she was already dying
DR.. ". J. Mayo told him at Rochester
Mimi, that he lucky to have been so
successful he had been. when the kind
of patients offered was considered. One of
them was eighty-two years old. DIR. Mayo
said he certainly would not have attempted
TO operate
And said DIR. Jonnesco, through Mr..
Soutzo. consider the mental condition of
these patients They realize beforehand
that they are to be eused-experimentally, a S
it were-in brand new treatment That
sets them on edge, and they are operated
on, not in an ordinary. quiet. business
like operating room, but in an amphitheatre
crowded with curious, interested people, all
talking to each other.
Seven out of the tWenty-three cases 1
have demonstrated could not have been
treated with anything else. like num-
Der of cases, by the way. have been for
operations with the upper injection"
The visitor from the Near East wants it
understood that he has come here in the
interest of science only There may be
something better than stovaine" he said
Il use il because | am convinced of its
wonderful efficacy. No one has to employ
it who does not wish to do so. But / know
that in time it will supersede chIoAoform
and ether. Used in the proper way, it can
never prove fatal, except in rare acci-
dents.''
DR.. Jonnesco will be in and around New
York for a fortnight, and stands ready to
give a demonstration when invited, in order
TO prove his claims. He intends making
detailed and technical reply to criticisms in
the next issue Of This New York Medical
Journal"