The Washington herald., 1913-01-19

as last resort" The first Of thes.
| Obstacles !s losing force because OF tn.
great increase in the average intelligence
OF people. and because OF the benefit to
large number Of people coming from
every city. village and halmet, who have
oeen helped. and whose very lives have
been saved by the conscientious anc
courageous work OF modern surgeons.
The second oostacle-prejudice-ha its
roots in the experience OF the past II
is more obstinately, but must yield be-
fore the force OF modern methods 1,
arose from the fact that the old surgeons
before the days OF antiseptics lost So
many patients. Well might the doctors
or that day put on surgery as a last
resort" and well might people have a
mortal dread OF the knife. But to-day all
is changed and the attitude OF the peop.e
Is rapidly changing. The death rate from
modern surgical operations Is marvellous
ly low. Not even the most severe oper-
atoms OF modern surgery are as dan
gerous as being President of the United
states. Three of the Presidents have lost
their lives because of their office This
is a larger percentage of death rate
than that resulting from the worst oper-
atoms at the hands of careful, palms.
taking surgeons. These are facts, and we
can depend upon facts to overcome even
the worst preJudices.
Third Obstacle Disappcnr..
The third obstacle will disappear with
the passing OF the old fashioned doctor.
Thanks to modern teaching, the younger
members OF the profession no longer
recommend surgery as last resort" but
are quick to urge its practice when II
is necessary.
In such matters as this the public
demands to be shown" before II is
ready to modify its practices according
to the recommendations of science II
has already been shown that bad drink
ing water, impure milk and flies tend to
increase typhoid, dysentery, &c. that
mosquitoes spread malaria and yellow
fever, that diseased meat causes con-
sumption and tTichiniosis, and that lack
Of vaccination and failure to use anti
toxin increase the ravages OF small pox
and diphtheria. In the light of these
facts intelligent governments and private
citizens are quick to lend their aid in
the removal of the causes of these dis
eases. Now, surgery offers its aid in
saving the public from many serious in
juries and diseases which, without its
help, cannot be awarded of. Let US con-
slider some of the ways by which it does
thi~
Prevention of Injuries.
AN ounce of prevention is worth a
pound of cure" is a saying that Is Ger
tainly very applicable to accidents ana
injuries which call for a great many.
and often very serious, surgical oper-
ations. In this day OF railroads. auto
mobiles, and machinery. accidents occur
with great frequency and men are killed
or injured in great numbers. Any issue
of a dali paper will contain an account
of one or more such accidents, and the
very, worst feature connected with them
Is that in many instances they might
have been prevented. 1t is far better
to prevent an accident than to amputate
limb, or do some other operation.
which, while 1t may save the patients
life, will leave him crippled.
Much stress is being laid on the fact
that employees do not protect their en-
ployes from injury. We are very ready