Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-09-30
Useful
Hints
Operating Table Safe
Progress Of Science Has Eliminated
Danger Of Knife.
Cry Dr. Leonard l<ccnc HirshbcrE,
Alb. MA. MD. Johns Hopkins
iniNcrsity.b

You ought not to fear the surgeon
and his knife any more They are less
dangerous than crossing a crowded
street when YOU are well, or riding in
trolley car. Many more people suffer
injuries and accidents from street cars
automobiles. or trains. than meet with
mlshapS from operations.
The reason some pponle are still
afraid to save their health and their
lives by submission TO The knife is be-
cause they are hidchouud with memo
ries OF twenty and more years ago.
when surgery Was far different from
what il Is TODAY.
Although Lister, the ingenious Eng
fish physician, had dtscovcrci as carly
as 1867 that the blood poisoning and
other III effects OF surgical operations
were due to germs and dirt the en-
nifty. biCotry. jealousy and opposition
of the medical profession kept Lister
and his humanitarian discoveries hid
den and suppressed for twenty years
more.
To-Day Operations Are Safe.
1t was not until 1909. twcniv-fvc
years later. that his medical coliearues
in London ceased TO ycvilc Lester and
call him names. and began to give him
due credit for his marvellous discoy-
cries
Or. W. w. Keene the distinguished
American surgeon. SAYS that in i've
years preceding the introduction of
ether at the Massachusetts General
Hospital III Boston the entire hospital
STAFF performed In all only IS4 opera
tons. or three operations month
To-day operations are so safe and
painless that single surgeon per
forms thousands OF them in q similar
period without loss OF life
You may now with confidence go "a
almost any good hospital for any kind
OF ali operation. In tho days when the
patient was not protected from bac-
terra and pain. only one person i'm two
escaped with his life.
Blood Poisoning Avoided
pr. Larney, Napoleons great sur
eeon. according TO Professor Keene's
researches. in the Russian campaign
performed not less than 300 leg and
ann amputatious. Nowadays Of 200
exactly similar cases, with deep
wounds OF the joints. thanks TO anti
sepsis. the great majority recover
without amputat!on.
Erys!pelas was formerly the cause OF
blood poisoning during operations.
7umors, or wens, so-callcd simple
cysts. were touched only with rrea,
danger to life at that time Thou
sands upon thousands OF these arc now
cut out without interfering with n
DAYS work.
The Drs Mayo OF Rochester,. MINI.
who just gave 100000 to the Uni
versity OF Minnesota for a Medical
Foundation, show a mortality rate Of
eight-tenths of per cent in one OF tho
most serious OF Internal operations on
women.
Newer Discoveries.
Those strongholds OF vitality. tho
heart sac and the skull chamber. arc
now opened with impunty The caVi-
ties of the brain itself are cmpt ed.
sions and facial ncuralgia ARE cured
large goitres are cut away. tho heart is
stitched the lungs sutured the kid
neys cleaned out. nerves transnlanted:
joints, bones, skin and liEaments nre
criss- crossed with the aid OF tho knife.
All of this is made possible by anti
septics. which DESTROY germs
DR.. Almoth i. Wright the Lord Lis
ter of to-day, is now ~ work on the
hattlchelds OF Europe with even newer
discoveries These include methods
whereby wounds already Infected with
poisons can Lc roudcred "ascptil or
''antiscptic without further wcaEen-
ing the victims
When his researches are given 70 Tho
world IL viii be found possible even 20
save By the knife tnase tinorous per-
sons who NOW commit suicide ny
postponinE until TOO late operations i'm
cases OF cancer appendicitis. etc.,
where blood poisoning has already he
gun.