Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-10-07
APPENDICITIS.

AFfEND1ClIlO.
A Boston physician is quoted as de-
claring that operations for appendi-
citis should be declared criminal
operations, and goes on to say, that
the appendix has a natural function
that the digestive system cannot be
deprived of without resultant harm.
It is also asserted that great num-
Der Of deaths result from operations
for the removal Of the appendix
and that the frequent op-
erations for the relief Of what is
known IN the medical world as zap
pendicitis'' should be discouraged.
The cases of Governor Johnson and
Clyde Fitch, whose deaths followed
surgical operations for the relief of
this trouble and ensuing compiled
cations are cited in proof of the con-
tention that appendicitis operations
should be made criminal. 49,.
4 Itmay be very true that operations
for appendicitis are more frequent
than they should be, or than they will
be with the advance of medical
science. And on the other hand we
have physicians of good standing de-
claring for the removal Of the appen-
dix in all cases where the slightest
symptoms of trouble develop. It is
probably true that great many Of
the deaths which were formerly
classed under the general cause of
seperitonitis'' were due to abcesses Of
the appendix and that a great many
lives have been saved by the timely
removal of the appendix before the
development of an abscess. AS to the
danger from an operation for append
icitis. II has become to be small when
the operation is skillfully done.
Over against the two cases cited
above, thousands might be cited
where death would have inevitably
followed a failure to operate.
5 Very probably the death of Coy
ernor johnson would have followed
soon had there been no operation,
and would have followed period
of intense suffering. Indeed, the
governors own resolution to obtain
relief, at whatever risk, indicates the
condition to which he had been re-
duced. The public is dependent
largely upon the surgeon. Diagnosis
Is not infallible The surgeon has be-
fore him the question of whether or
not to operate. If he does not op-
crate, he may feel that he has
not done his duty. If he does op-
crate, he may have to reproach him
self afterward with the reflection
that the operation was unnecessary.
It is not necessary to prove that peo-
pie would be better were it never
necessary to interfere with their
normal anatomies by means Of the
surgeons's knife. But the necessity
for surgical operations carries with
it the implication that the patients
anatomy is so deranged that it is a
question, not of perfect health fol-
lowing an operation, but OF better
. health and the prolonging Of life and
the 1essening of suffering.
The whole matter is one proving
the necessity for the elevation of the
standard Of the medical profession
/ tothe highest possible pIane-for the
encouraging Of the study of medi-
cine by the best intelligence Of. the
eonntry.s We may be- sure that the:
really constitutions and~intelligent.
surgeon will not operate unless he
faels thatgsueh an operation Is ab-.
\ soiutely. NECESSARY. But to declare
\ tlat surgical operations should be
m4de criminal is to convey false I'm
. preston to a great many people, and
/ possibly to hazard their lives with
false assurance OF safety. Tf ~ Z.
-st.