Imperial Valley press., 1913-12-20
Getting Away from Surgery

, Milwaukee Journal: No other in
vestment made in the history of the
world ever resulted in such beneficial
returns as money invested in original
research work. The newest thing in
surgery is that we are trying to get
away from it, and it is through orig
inal research work that we have al
ready accomplished wonders and hope
for still greater things.
For instance, we have discovered
that many ailments, at one time sup
posed to be due to different causes,
are traceable to exactly the same
germ. We now know that rheumatism
is an infection caused by the same
germ that in some patients causes
liberated stomach, in others inflam-
nation of the heart, in others general
rheumatism, in others muscular
rheumatism and so on. 1t all depends
upon the soil the germ finds in the
! infected person which manifestation
| it makes. So nav rheumatism, which
we once treated as dietetic mistake, is
| treated as an infection. The con-
firmation of this theory we owe to
DR.. Rosenow of the Mccormick con-
tagious diseases hospital fund staff.
1t was original research work that
did it.
Take common lockjaw, if you want
an example of our getting away from
surgery. 1t was nothing uncommon in
the old days in Chicago to have doz-
ems of cases of locked jaws, for which
we had to operate, after Fourth OF
July. Now we rarely have locked
Jaw. Antitetanus serum has done it.
Take diphtheria. You have heard OF
operations to relieve patient. A sur
geon is only retailer. Supposing he
saves patient of two by an operation.
What becomes of the untold multitude
ne cannot treat because of his physical
limitations. The discovery of the anti
toxin for the cure of diphtheria was
their salvation. 1t works wholesale.
In Paris, where they keep their statis-
;ics very well, the percentage of NOR
tality in diphtheria cases was 81. Since
The serum was discovered it has drop
bed to 1 3-16.
Over in India, you know, the natives
are subject to dysentery. 1t kills
them by thousands. We had known
hat ipecac relieved the patient. A
nan named Rogers, who had been ex-
oerimenting at Calcutta for years, re-
Gently discovered an alkaloid made
from ipecac which he named emetine.
He can cure all cases of dysentery in
from three to five days by an injection
of emetine That's original research
work. You remember how we had to
operate for an abscess of the liver,
,ut in tube that we didn't get out
COR months. Now, Rogers injects en-
,tine, the abscess is killed, and the
liver heals itself.
Our great effort is to find means
If curing without resort to the gross
r and cruder methods of treatment, of
which surgery is the acme. 1t is only
~ original research work that this
:an be accomplished. Therefore, there
is no higher purpose to which rich
nan put his money than endowing
original research laboratories. The
men who work in them work for pit
tance-enough only to keep alive.
They may be compared to the bricks in
great architectural construction.
Hardly anybody notices the bricks. A
few notice the capstones, but every
body halls the setting of the key
stone; yet were it not for the bricks
there would be no place to set the key
stone. The genius who comes along
in research work and sets the key
stone depends absolutely upon the
work of the humble and unsung work
ers in the research laboratories. Every
great discovery has been due to their
work except, perhaps, the X-ray, which
was discovered by accident.
Serums and antitoxins are going to
take the place of the knife and the
saw. The research laboratory will be
the physical salvation of the race.
AL.,o. oe Da,col Dncf