Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-06-19

The annual convention of the American
Surgical Society meeting in Denver to-
day, followed by that Of the American
Medical Society in Los Angeles next
week, will give opportunity for the ex-
change of new ideas and discoveries in
the healing art. as obtained from the
practical experience of the leading medi-
cal men in America.
At the convention Of surgeons many
new ideas will be brought forward re-
earding the different methods of anes-
thesia, which is perhaps the most i'm
portant development of modern surgery.
| Every capable surgeon has now some
special idea of his own in regard to
anesthetics. Some rely almost entirely
upon local applications, which do not re-
quire inhalation and do not in any way
affect the consciousness of the patient.
New York surgeon recently performed
an abdominal operation aided only by a
local application of an original combina-
ton of cocaine. The patient experienced
no pain and was able to be of real as
sistance to the surgeon by answering
questions during the operation.
The development of this sort of anes-
thesia is the latest and perhaps the most
important step in the surgical advance.
One of its advantages is that it will do
away with the necessity for unqualified
speed, which accompanies operations
made while the patient is in state of
i Inconsistencies. While it IS desirable
that operations should be performed as
rapidly as is consistent with the best
results, there is no question but that
the nervous haste caused by the dread
of the patient coming out from the in
IF |,nIn ha nd
OF the operation is responsible for many
of the failures and fatalities attending
surgical cases
America has led the world in the de-
velopment of anesthetics, and is still TAX
ing front rank in
American Surgeons this respect. The
Have Led World. a use 81 ., ~ e, ,ira !.
of its discovery revolutionized surgical
science, is conceded TO be of American
origin. 1t is generally supposed to have
been discovered by two dentists of New
England. although 1t was subsequently
found that southern physician had been
using the formula for some time without
making it public. The London surgeons
who tested the yankee method in the
early part of the nineteenth century
were unanimous in approving it, but the
appropriations made by the United States
Congress- as a reward for the discovery
of ether never was claimed because II
never has been absolutely proved who
first discovered it.
The use of rubber gloves is another
American invention which has greatly
helped surgery during the past ten years
1t is much easier to render the gloves
sterile and antseptic than the surgeon
hands. and the danger Of infection 20
both the patient and operator Is consid-
erably lessened. The possibility of ring
| Slipping from the surgeons finger ana
| being sewed up in the patients interior.
recurring another operation for its re-
| moval an occurrence which recently
caused a law suit in Paris. would be en-
| tirely obviated by the use OF ruober
| gloves.
| AT the convention of surgeons, and also
| that of the medical society. the subject
| OF local anesthesia will be much dis-
cussed. as this - the problem most IN