The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-11-02
PATIENT IMPROVES ON STOMACH PUMP

PATIENT IMPROVES ON STOMACH PUMP
 One of the many disappointments I suffered after entered upon the study of medicine was that I never saw stomach pump. For seven- teen years so had been eager to see one of the ingenious gadgets, for had often read in the papers how the doctors or the hospital ann bulance attendants were compelled to resort to the use of the stomach pump to save a life Then I came to study the anatomy and physiology of the stomach and I failed utterly to see how pump could be used on such an organ or why. but shrewdly kept my inepti- tude to myself and went on courageously, hop ing that sooner later I should have the big thrill of seeing a stomach pump, perhaps even seeing one in action But it was not to be. I've beein watching for many years now, and 1 aint see one yet begin to believe 1 never shall, unless one of these firms that make breathing machines should turn to the stom- ach as a more profitable field, now that breathing machines are obsolete.
 A retired army officer reports that twenty years ago doctor undertook to put stomach tube into his gullet After a rough half hour the patient took the tube out of the doctors hands and swallowed 1t. He decided then that no one, not even the most learned or skilled physician knows much about the way 10 swallow the stomach tube as does the patient himself. He maintains 1t is much safer for the patient to swallow it himself than it is for any doctor to attempt to feed it to the patient.
 Far be it from me to dispute the ColoDels opinion. All know is that if 1t were my stonl- ach somebody would have to pass the tube. for have yet to find the stomach trouble I'd not rather have than voluntarily swallow the finest stomach tube I've ever seen.
 But, then none of the stomach tubes I've seen are what you would call exquisite crea- tions. They re pretty crude, in fact. The Colonel has made an improvement on stomach tubes which may be of interest to dyspeptic readers He says much stupidity is shown in the fashioning of stomach tubes. both in size and shape. He suspects some tourist pos sibly circus man first designed the conven- tional tube, using his knowledge that the | sharper tent pegs are made the easier they drive. All stomach tubes in this country, says the Colonel, are actually sharpened at the tip. One day in the presence of two doctors and a medical supply wholesaler the Colonel lighted a brand new stomach tube. let the rubber burn back to the full thickness of the tube. and so left the tip as blunt possible. Such a blunt tip is far easier to swallow and less likely to each in a fold of mucous membrane do damage to the delicate lining of the esophagus or gu!let.
 This may seem a trifing improvement, but then, maybe you and have not tried swallow ing tube.
 Lest the unsophicated reader misunder- stand, had better explain that there is no such thing as a stomach pump or pumping the stom- ach. The only purpose of passing tube down the gullet into the stomach is to siphon off the contents of the stomach, or to pour in fluid food some liquid to wash out the stomach or to medicate the stomach without medicating the gullet all the way down and back.