Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-27
THE BLESSED SLEEP
CoHHnAed from page s

who like that sort of thing, that sort OF thing
is just about what they would like. The
practice is not yet obsolete.
THE last chapter in the glorious history of
anesthesia was written few years ago.
when we were invited to see Professor
Thomas Jonnesco operate at the Postgradu-
ate Hospital, New York. With long, finely
tempered needle, he passed between the
spinous processes 1.-THE vetebra comprising
the backbone and injected solution called
stovaine directly into the spinal canal.
See this pale, apprehensive woman, with
the o1ninous "1nurmur,' that suggestive
sound which denotes that her heart valves,
like badly fitting door, do not close COM
pletely! The back flow of blood, the "in-
sufficiency, contraindicates the use of gen
eral anesthetic. But, while she is to all in
tents and purposes wideawake, all the region
below the point Of injection is benumbed
The most extensive operation can be per-
formed with perfect assurance that she will
feel no pain,-One OF the most sensational
feats of modern surgery, and very valuable
when ether cannot be given with safety.
Perhaps intraspinal anesthesia will never
become very popular until we develop new
race of surgeons, even if the possibility OF
paralysis and death, which sometimes follow
| its use, can be entirely removed.
MOT all surgeons possess the iron nerve
y of Virgil P. Gibney, calmly to chisel
through the skull and remove tumor from
the brain, while the conscious but obtunded
patient is cognizant of every move.
| 1t savors too much of vivisection, as the
antivivisectionists understand it,-subject-
| ing animals to experiment while they are
conscious and sentient, procedure that no
| true scientist would countenance; for even
| the most iron-nerved doctor is glad to place
handkerchief or other bandage over the
eyes Of these patients while the operation is
in progress. 1t has been claimed in favor of
this method that some complication, some
thing entirely unexpected, may present
itself, -when, for example, the abdomen is
opened which the surgeon does not care
to assume the responsibility of removing
without sanction.
| In this event it is a very simple matter to
uncover the patients face, tell her all about
it, and ask her consent to its removal.
| 1t is awe-inspiring, this marvel of cutting
off sensation by an injection into the spinal
canal but it seems too gruesome, too in
human, unless there are reasons why gen.
eral narcotic should not be used. Kidney
disease, heart complications, and other or
ganic LESSONS might interdict the use of
ether, chloroform, or nitrous oXid; but, bar
| ring something Of this nature, there seems
no real reason why we should not operate
on thoroughly insensible patient.
The unconscious effort to "hurry through"
the tremendous nervous strain on every
body,-even the patient must suffer from
apprehension and the nervous shock, SUI
peradd to the shock of the ordeal; for be it
known that while the Unconscious brain
takes no cognizance Of what transpires dur
ing an operation, yet the nerves are busily
engaged trying to convey the intelligence to
the central station which has been tenn
porarily cut off from the world Of feeling.
In fact, this matter has received profound
study within recent years, and it IS now ad
vocated that whenever possible, as in sur
gerry of the surface or the extremities, in adj
dition to the ether, hypo of cocaine or
some of its derivatives be given. This more
completely "cuts off" the area of operation,
| thereby diminishing the shock. So not only
the central station will be isolated. but the
wires leading to it will be rendered incapable
of transmitting the message Of pain.
Since the introduction of the "drop meth
od"-giving ether few drops at a time, al
ways allowing plenty of oxygen-skilful sur
geons practically never lose patient from
the effects of the anesthetic. 1t has been a
wonderful achievement, this Promethean
snatching of the BLESSED Sleep from the
abode of the gods. 1t made possible the per-