The Falls City tribune., 1911-01-13
NEW CURE FOR ALCOHOLISM
Surgeon Of San Antonio, Texas, Re-
moves Part of Stomach-Called
Gastro-Jeiunostomy.

lions to medical literature deals with
an original method of treating chronic
alcoholism. The writer, DIR. j. w.
Kenney of San Antonio, Tex, declares
that the only means of curing alco-
holes is by surgery In proof OF MS
contention he cites a series OF cases
so treated by him, asserting that IN
n majority of them a cure was erect
ed. His article, entitled THE Alco7
'holic Case and a Surgical Operation
for the Cure of Chronic Alcoholism,
appears in the current issue of the
Texas Medical Journal.
Doctor Kenney's method is to make
an artificial opening in the stomach
loop up the iejunum "a part or the
in~testine), make an artificial PENN
in the jejunum, and unite the TWO ar
tihcial openings. The operation Is
called gastro-jejunostomy Here are
Doctor Kenney's reasons for resort
ing to this operation:
=. Because medical treatment fails
In IA majority IL not all cases, n
must necessarily continue to fail be-
cause ii does not remove the cause
of the gnawing or craving for alcohol.
-. Because the pathological condi'
ton caused by alcohol is almost iden'
teal with pathological conditions pro-
duced by other causes which are re-
lieved by surgical treatment.
The Grunkard in giving a history
of his case usually points 10 his stom-
ach as the cause of his drinking. Very
few claim that the taste for liquor has
anything to do with it. In the stom-
ach will also be found the first evil
dence that the physical basis of life
protoplasm-has been injured and the
physical structure of that organ Is the
first to present pathological condi-
tons.
1T has peer proved that alcohol
stimulates the action of the senses
and organs Of he body for a short
time. This supranormal condition Is
quickly followed by the i~nfra-normal,
which indicates a partial paralysis oil
the nerve ends, and eventually of the
nerve centers.
Continued repetition of this proc
ess results in hardening and partial
paralysis of the muscular coat of the
stomach, and an inf1amed or liberated
condition of the mucous coat. Such Il
condition produces a vitiated appetite
and impairs the action of the stom
aeh. which is the most important of
the digestive processes. To relieV
this condition, when produced by any
agent other than alcohol, surgical
measures are demanded. Why not
apply the same principle IN the alec
holie case?
Reasoning along this line con
vfneed me that all hope of curing a
ease of chronic alcoholism lay in a
surgical direction, and l resolved to
try the operation that | had in mind
unou the frs case that would grant
me the privilege. An ideal case soon
presented itself-a young MAJ Of
lieh degree. who had descended 10
the lowest depths of saloondom. and
had n%oundered about in it for sew
eral years, presented himself with the
request that | do something for him.
After a two weeks preparatory
treatment, a posterior gastro-jejunos-
tony by simple suture was performed
upon him. lie lett the hospital thirty
days later. This patient WAS about
thirfy-nve years old, and had been
drinking for about ten years. During
the last three years business had SO
interfered with his drinking that he
quit business and drank day and
night, consuming from one to two
.,,,rt. ,f uFhjaIu DURING Tho tUnnfU-
four hours. He was one of the best
known drunkards in the city, and no
one could remember having seen him
sober during the three years preced-
ing this operation, and he was looked
upon as past redemption and abso-'
lutely ~valueless, from a business
standpoint. Today he is assistant
manager of a large mercantile estab-
lishment in this city and a sober, re-
spected citizen.
Case No. 2 Is that of a young den
fist about thirty years of age. He
stated that for several years he had
consumed all the liquor he could get
during the day and took a bottle to
bed with him at night. His constant
drinking had made IA yeritable neuras-
thenic of him. He consulted me re-
garding the operation, and was ad.
yised to have It performed.
"He finally came to the %sanatorium
and had the operation performed.
From a v~agabond dentist, bounded by
dozens OF people whose money he had
taken during half-sober intervals as
advance payments on work which he
was never able to perform, he is now,
and has been ever since the operation,
a sober man, and no n hesitates to
trust him with his work.
Case No. 8 is that Of a travelling
man about thirty-nve years of age.
He had been drinking at irregular In
teryals for a number Of years. The
intervals had gradually grown closer
together until life became just one