Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-10-26
NOTED SURGEONS
SEE DEAVER WORK
Deep Interest Shown When
Local Doctor Yields Knife
at National Clinic
WORLD SCIENTISTS ATTEND

WORLD SCIENTISTS ATTEND
The surgeon must BE- iinguist.
He must speak the Language Of the
duodcuum, the stomach. the intcstincs,
rs i" docs his own"
Dr. John II. Deaver, the surgeon,
stood in the white dOmCd clinical am
phithratre Of the Lankenau Hospital.
In the first tier of seats sat distin-
Su!s"d surgeons from other lands, who
are the guests Of the American College
Of Surgeons in its present congress.
Gray haired men for the most part.
wearing the white gown of the operating
room. and behind them row upon row
of their Confrorrs in similar garb.
Gathered around the still form on
the table stood the little group that was
70 do battle with death. The surgeon
himself was completely swathcd, as
were his assistants, in sterile white
gown and hood, only his dark eyes being
visible beneath their Grizzled brows.
His voice, strong and decisive, came
undminishcd through tho gauze pad
which covered the lower portion Of his
face. On his hands were tight fitting
rubber gloves. which aCccntuatcd the
slender grace Of his fingers.
At the patients head stood 4 nurse,
whose kindly eyes rarely left the ether
cone which she held to his face. Be
hind her stood three other nurses. and
on the far side of the table the assisting
surgeon worked with iodine and sponge.
preparing for the inCision.
As the surgeon explained the nature
Of the case 70 the attentive circles the
final preparations were completed and
the group around TIE table drew closer
together. Still talking. Dr.. Dcnver
turned, an instrument was placed il
his hand a. though by magic, and the
operation had begun.
Other than III" voice Of the surgeon
himself there WAS ~ sound in the room.
That cardinal rule of all operating
rooms which stood in black ctters
above the door---"Noli loqui; noll
tangerc speak not; touch not--was
obeycd to the letter by these men who
were wont to demand such obedience
themselves.
Working wl,h incredible speed and
accuracy, Or. Drovcr penetrated the in
tricatc tissues Of the abdomen. hts fin
gers guiding where his eyes could not.
and always his voice, even and vet
vibrant, carrying with the marves
which his hands performed the oXplana-
''' L'I""'A' i'iH hi"hEN - ''o' t"'
thi"H, sweet r"ek OF ether pervading
everything
Never ono" was tAer" pauS" IN the
swift sequence OF MS WORK. countless
Lrigh' Instruments W"r" placed silently
and promptly IN ms nAHd as nc required
them, and as swiftly removed at tn"
proper moment. 10 be replaced with
others. At last DR.. Dcavcr stopped
momentarilv while his assistant per-
formed some minor function and inter
ruptod the thread of his discourse. He
turned to the nurse at his elbow and
held up a blood stained gauze pad.
c.,, ,o- ,,is,,, Dad
"''' '''
ITO" many 10 start WIZ" ne
asked.
"enjy-hVe. .,
'II0W many on me tLo.e;
"SIXtecn.
And on the door:
Eight,
"Wlrh leaves one for ne 10 lind,
DR.. beaver laid, and turning again 70
H., work be tr!pmpAant'H drew forth
from the wound the missing pad.
IntorsI crsrf' with tn" technical com
meu'S which lie made wcr" bits Of rem
Inlecrncc Of old beloved teachers, aneC-
Iotey Of famous men and famous oper-
at!ons of other da%A. Or"asionaIly
the motionIess white forms in the tiers
above him broke INTO lauGhtrr, ,hut
thcrc was nothing incongruous in their
mlr'h. They laughed as one would
70, - -