The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-26
TWILIGHT SLEEP
ONLY FOR EXPERTS
Treatment Not Panacea. Saws
DR.. Polak. and Solely for
Hospital Use.
EFFECTS ON CHILDREN

Twilight sleep, according to Or. job,
Osborn Polak Of tho Long Island Collie,
Hospital. 10 no panacea but simply a val
liable adjunct 10 recognized methods n,
treating childbirth. II Is a method
applicable only in hospital cases at IN
stitutions where carefully tralre
surgeons have mastered tho te.hrt,,.
OF the thing Its worth In Limited
number of cases pr poak believes I'm
have been established thoroughly.
This Brooklyn surgeon and his asso
ciates at the Long Island College Hos
pital have used the twilight method n
about 2b5 cases to date. with them II
IL not a matter OF controversy, hu,
record Of simple experience. Or. rolak
told yesterday some of tho results Of
that experience.
Tho paper I wrote on this subioc,
which was printed IN the Nav Yor
Medical Journal for February 10 last
was based on our handling OF about 49,
cases at tho hospital" he said since
then We have used the twilight methoi
in perhaps 100 more cases and there ha,
occurred nothing to modify material
the conclusion | gave in thai. paper
This conclusion was as follows:
1--WE are more and more impressed, a.
our experience Increases. with the wda
field of usefulness that scopolam.ne OF.
algesia will cover In modern hospital
obstetrics. We feel, however, that for
tho present at least the me hod should
be considered distinctly as one for the
expert In q maternity hospital"
Or. Polak emphasized the concluding
sentence. He added; I'm the hundred
cases since that paper was written We
have met with uniformly favorable re.
suits and We have learned little more
except. perhaps, as to the varying ef-
fects of the drugs used upon tho child
In some cases we find that large doses
are necessary and that the child hardly
shares the mothers anesthes!a at all.
in other instances very small quanttlcq
OF the drugs affect the baby markedly '
How about after effects OF tho treat.
ment?"
II do not know was the prompt an.
swer We have observed no harmful
after effects and no after effects OF Ions
duration In any OF these cases The
mothers and children have OF course
often been under observation for month
after the birth"
How Is the suitability OF tho twilight
treatment to be determined in a par.
ticular case"
II can ne settled III duNdUNft w
Polak answered. 1T can only 10 d..
cided by starting the treatment sni
closely observing the case.
Il am afraid that a correct idea ~
the twilight sleep is not very wldely
spread. You must understand that tie
patient shows every indication ot sGffc'
ing all the pains of childbirth. IT."
pain is suffered but is not felt tH.
effect OF the drugs used is to w.po '.'
memory and the power TO feel pain FL.
the time being aftcrward the fac.l.t.,s
are fully restored, hut the patient has
knowledge of the interval and does
know, often, that the child hts he.
born.
The administering of tho drugs T.
! delicate business. There L. and ,t.
not be, any fixed dosage. TIE tWUg
TO be given differs with every pat'c'
II Is necessary, therefore, to begin "
slight doses and 10 watch IA" EFF
with the closest attention. Hourly
servation IL essential and that Is w'f
twilight case mus, re not only .-
pital case but must command the ~ .u.
time and concentration of an eAu,ft.
This limits the application q 70
method Hospitals have only so fntH.
beds and are costly 20 build ~" en- .
time Of expert Gyneculogists Is also ,N
pensive.
AS for the technique which IT," ID
tor must acquire. II Is not uccess -" '-t'
he study the daemmersp hlaf at Fr' 't-r
but ! do not believe Il can be prop'-,"
acquired from books. should - '-t
/ the doctor must at least have ...-.
/ observed the use ~ the tw'lg" s...
/ and have been associated IN rt.N :
| soma cases
| "Supposing the HOSPITALS and 80 o'
/ ports we're available so thai 80
/ sleep could he an alternative '0 t "..
/ tcrnity cascs--do YOU holiey" 10 woods
/ he perfectly successful IN, say, r.." ""
/ OF ten instances"
Yes" was the response g..
/ proper conditions I believe tN- 'r't.
ment capable Of indefinitely N.t.r .'
/ with success
Or Polak added that he HeNer's NN
poitat!on of the tr'ttU"u' may a. GO
harm and that the greatest rC''
education ~ the public to Gr...-'H-
that the twilight method is goo. .
in certain cases-Just what cases
/ he decided by the expert ~ "a '".'..
hospital regularly using th.s r"