Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1912-09-23
UNNECESSARY SURGERY.
The "Trifling Operation" of Late Has
Claimed Too Many Victims.

Several recent deaths from a "tri-
fling operation" have attracted the
attention of the public to the seri-
BUSINESS of certain surgical measures
which are regarded by specialists as
involving so little danger that they
are resorted to with disregard for
the patients life, which is in inverse
ratio to the results.
Experienced practitioners have
long inveighed against the reckless
saving and cutting operations often
! performed on the noses and throats
of persons who may be affected with
more or less annoying obstruction,
which causes occasional interference
with the free passage of air or gives
rise to the symptoms described to>so-
called catarrh The advertising
/ quacks have exaggerated catarrh into
dangerous if not fatal malady, which
demands their vaunted specific in
order to avoid certain deplorable
conditions which are sure to ensue
if not treated without delay. 1t is
to be regretted that there are special
lists in the ranks of the regular pro-
fession who are misled into a similar
eXaggeration by imperfect under
standing of catarrh." These gen
tlemen, usually of the fledgling type,
less skilled in prognosis than in the
operative procedure, resort to the lat
ter as the sole avenue of escape for
the sufferer" The latter, if he has
by quack advertisements been pre-
pared for the sad fate" that awaits
him, places implicit confidence in the
nasal or throat specialist and sub
mits to removal of a spur from the
septum" (the dividing partition OF
the nose) or of the tonsils, when re-
suits are too often unsatisfactory and
sometimes fatal, according to the OBJ
servation of conservative general
practitioners.
The eminent surgeon, DR.. Henry B.
Sans, expressed the only justifiable
view. Asked by friend why he did
not procure the removal of a small
benign growth which was plainly Wis
ible on the lower surface of his oper-
ating forearm, he answered: 1T does
not trouble me; why should trouble
it?' No surgical operation, no mat.
ter how trivial, is entirely free from
dangerous possibilities. If it is de
manded for the saving of, life or pre-
vention of disease or removal of pain
or even of disfiguring deformity nc
surgeon would hesitate to perform
it, The individual who would per.
nit surgical procedure for remova
of temporary discomfort, as is Otter
done for the nasal passages, or fol
any ailment that has existed fol
years without impairing of the
health or serious interference will
comfort, is committing serious er
ror.
We are led to these comments b!
an article on tonsil removal which
peared in an eastern publication re
Gently. The frankness with whicl
the author acknowledges his owl
youthful zeal in the Slaughter" o
) tonsils entities him to commenda
ton. While his statements were no
; intended for the lay public, the lattel
may be wise in drawing the lesson
Let us hope that the day is not fa
distant when not only the profession
but the public, shall demand tha
this senseless slaughter be stopped
, 1t would seem proper course tC
yield to proper medical advice wheI
it approves surgical procedure, ant
to refuse the latter for all trivial all
ments unless the surgeon can clearl,
define the consequences of declininl
2 it.-New York Sun.