The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-03-18


these days with as little eff
fort as they used to go to
the drug store. Instead Of being
regarded az the last thing they
would think of, an operation is
now the first thing that comes
to their mind. Even q slight indi-
gestion ID enough Of an excuse
for q slight incision.
We even heard the other day
Of q woman who went to the hos
pital and had her appendix re-
moved because she had been told
that Il would make her thinner.
Well. the operation was suo-
cessfIll, but the patient thrived.
Instead Of growing thinner, she
grew fatter. Having sacrificed q
perfectly good appendix-which
she figured she would miss much
less than she would her Ice
cream sodas-she rapidly as
sumed the proportions Of q
blimp, together with the weight
which one associates with a
heavier-than-air machine.
Naturally, the lady is consider
ably peeved as well as plump.
She declares she'll never trade at
that hospital again.
Her drastic efforts to reduce,
however, merely show how the
general public attitude toward
hospitals and operations has
changed in recent years. People
Of Independent means almost
think up excuses to go to the hos
pital nowadays, simply to bask In
the luxury OF being waited upon
with complete freedom from
business and social obligations.
Not so long ago, IL you told
your friend you were going to a
hospital, they hurried out and
grabbed an option on a cemetery
lot. II you said you thought
you'd have to have an operation,
It was equivalent to saying you
thought you'd have to have a
tombstone. Your friends went
around with long faces and had
their arms measured for mourn
ing bands. And your relations
went around with whatever faces
God had given them. and won
defed whether they were men
toned In your will.
But now, II you remark that
you are going to a hospital 1t Gre
ates no more excitement than II
you were to announce that you
are going to q Bermuda or up
into the country to visit one of
your maiden aunts.
And IL you say that you're go
ing to have an operation your
friends regard Jon with envious
looks.
They realize you ara going TO
have plenty Of time TO loaf, no
business worries, no responsible
ties, no need to dress for dinner.
no taxis to dodge or taxi-drivers
to placate.
On top Of an that, your ar
Quaintances win send you books
to read, candy to eat, and f1e-
to give Q touch Of exotic luxury
to your sanitary surroundings.
Also the possibilities Of q chic
little nurse to humor your slight
est wish. Some Life for o tired
business mani
When the time comes for the
operation, you have your choice
OF several fancy anesthetics-all
pleasant and soothing TO the
nerves. The day OF the old
fashioned ether Is past; you now
inhale something which has the
odor Of orange blossoms. You
imagine that you are at q wed
ding, and just az you are begin
ming to speculate on whether
you'll have an opportunity to kiss
the bride, you slip into oblivious
ease.
This brand Of anesthetic is
quite popular, We understand,
with spinsters, who thus get
closer to the altar in the operat-
ing room than they do In the
parlor with the gas turned low.
After the operation, come the
hauuv d0va nf copvoIaaoaroo
when you wander about and
compare notes with the other in
mates to see which lost most
No wonder, when you go back
into the cruel, hard work, you
depart q little sadly leaving nurse
ana a0nanAfw hahfnA