The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1910-02-02

erence for going completely to sleep, and only
waking up find it all
But doubt is thrown upon its advantages by
score of eminent surgeons, we'll as by writer's
on surgical science. Its value for instance is
secuted by Dr. Moods Hutchinson in the following
manner:
Drmatc Feat
SsrT, O take patient sitting quietly the edge of
a table swinging his legs thrust hollow
needle into the small of his back with little more
pain than would be caused by stabbing his finger
with pin) inject through it half teaspoonful OF
colorless fluid then lay him down the table
and. within three minutes. be able to cut down to
the bone anywhere upon his body-amputate
limb, open the abdomen and remove the appendix
kdney-without producing the slightest pain
of Importance, yet leaving him perfectly conscious
with his eyes wide open and able to observe every
step of the operation If he so desires, is certainly
striking dramatic feat.
"a wonderful triumph, great onward step in
that marvellous increase of control the pro-
cesses of life which is the keynote of modern sci
ence. Not less than triumph than monument
the genius the industry, the devotion of scores
of patient workers and daring surgeons who have
made this conquest over pain possible.
Yet striking and vivid as the feat is one cam
not but echo the exclamation of Marshal Canro-
bert watching the charge of the Light Brigade at
Balaklava Cest MAGNITUDE, mails il nest par la
guerre' Git is magnificent, but it is not war; as
yet.
This new mode of blotting out pain under the
surgeons knife is of wonderful promise and has
been tried by scores of enthusiastic surgeons in
past, but it shows no tendency as yet to dsplace
ether and chloroform from their positions as the
great sheet anchor anaesthetics. With few ex-
ceptions even its most enthusiastic advocates only
predict that it will become applicable to from
one-tenth to one6fth of all surgical operations. 1t
has some striking advantages but like everything
else, some serious drawbacks; it has the defects
of it's virtues. "
Ask as did, in score of well-nformed quar-
ters for the basis of the opposition to stovaine,
and the answer, in every instance, is the same:
History of Operations
g PINAI anesthesia by injection of various eco
- Gaines" has been in use all over the civilized
world for ten years, and collection of cases has
been made (by Zachrisson of Sweden) total
izng, in round numbers, $1,000.
In these 106 deaths occurred, due to the drug.
death for each 500 This sounds
trifng risk but here are the figures with which
it must be contrasted
Chloroform, 100000 with one death due
to the anesthetic in each 5000; ether 100000
cases, with average OF one death in 10000.
In other words. spinal anesthesia of all sorts is
still six times dangerous chloroform, and
thirtytwo times dangerous ether
1t may be quicker and easier for the surgeon and
pleasanter for the patients who survve-but it
will take far more than this to overbalance its
much greater dangers.
When it has been used, as both ether and chloro
form have, in thirty and forty thousand success
sive cases without death, then 1t may begin to
enter the lists equality with Them but not
till then.
1t is only fair to say that part of this much
greater death rate is due to lmperfectonS ana
mistakes in the method of its use, natural in any
and untried remedy, and part OF it to the fact
that of the unfavorabe ones, con-
sidered, account Of diseased hearts other
serious conditions, to be unsuited for chloroform
ether.
Beyond doubt the most interesting thing to
the public will be to learn the thoughts that
crowd into the mind of the patient who is allowed
to watch the surgeon cutting into his flesh. 1t is
situation that might be handled in the grimly
realistic manner of Zola; or, the patient might
be devilmay-care sort such Dumas drew;
afraid of nothing, inviting wounds and scars by
sheer daring and exposure in conflict.
Consequently James L. Martin of JONES'
co.'s earliest American patients, has told me, for
the first time, the mental experience incident to
the removal of his appendix, while surgeons per-
mitted him to look
Before Jonnesco arrived ! had already been OPP
Grated on under ether and it made me dreadfully
sick" said Martin. Chen all of sudden keeled