Omaha daily bee., 1914-07-30


and as has been true since the first two
doctors differed about the efficacy of the
first herb they are poles apart in their
views. They are hurling expletives at
each other across an alley safety line
Physicians who speak tho medical and
several other strange languages are cali
ing each other bad names about It.
Tho majority is shouting 1T can't be
done" The minority is answering, But
it has been done. and whatever has been
done may be done again" When persons
lose their ground or temper they begin
to call names. The majority of the doc
tors have adopted this last resort. The
minority hold their ground, as Galileo
held his, though he held it on bended
knees and with lowered eyes. Crazy"
visionary" foolish enthusiasm" cry
the majority.
At Baden little group of German phy-
sicians- is continuing an experiment with
the persistence, of Robert Bruce's spider.
Again and again, over and over, the effort
has been made TO robe maternity of its
terrors, the fear of pain, the fear OF
death, the fear of itself. The group Of
physicians and an experienced nurse in
small hospital at Baden say they have
succeeded, that they have succeeded not
occasionally, but usually not twice 1r
fifteen times, but 5000 times
Five thousand times they have met the
enemy that stalks about the led of a
mother, the grim enemy that stretches
out gaunt, fleshess arms for mother and
child, torturing one aud menacing both,
and have conquered him. But the
ThonAses Of the medical world are set
ting up loud chorus to cry them down.
~sThey assert that they can induce a
half-conscious state that causes the
mother to forget her pain. but enables
her to use her will and muscular power.
lit was very hard to 90, but we have
done II, say the little band. 1T took a
long time and great patience, but we
have won
A preliminary injection of opium. and
subsequent injection of scopotamin will
take a mother through the dark way OF
maternity without pain and with no
agonizing and dangerous nervous re-
action. The way of the cross for women
has become a highway of Joy and
triumph, 50 say the half dozen nurses
and doctors and the devoted nurse at
Freiburg.
Enough morphine is Injected into the
body arm or any other portion of the
body the physician may deem best to
cause the patient to become drowsy.
Thereafter. every hour or two hours, as
needed, there are injections of scopola-
min, Physicians and nurses are con-
stantly present to watch and test the sue
ceeding states of the patient The test
Of when the patient is ready for her OF.
aal fu fao ba
Is she nearly enough asleep to forget
pain the instant it has passed? A physi-
clan holds up two fingers
How many fingers do you seeg' he
asks. If she answers two" her senses
are too acute. She has not passed into
the twilight state of semi-seep. More
frequent injections of the scopolamiu
fellow
lie holds up two fingers again How
many fingers do you see?" he asks
One" she replies in a distant, drowsy
voice. But her eyes are open. She IS
able to move about Her will is stronf
and active. The delicate balance between
loss OF memory and control of will ant
muscular power has been reached, TIL,
moment has arrived. That is the secret
simple one and simply told by the ply,
sieians OF Baden.
But" say the objectors, and Their
name is legion and, in some instances
distinction, they don't say that tn,
scopolamin, which is an abstract of
weed called snake root, sometimes drive,
woman crazy. No, she doesn't remair
50, but her rawlings interfere with tn,
Doctors work and endanger the child
life"
That there has been delirium in othe
cases. where the disturbing spectre o
scopolamin has never stalked the OBJ
iectors do not emphasize.
1t has been tried in this country an,
given up" one physician after anothe
will impatiently tell you. Thoroughly?
you ask, and they reply with their sound