The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-02-26
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2e, 1881
Lung Surgery

While we are not competent to discuss learnedly the treatment of tuberculous pa- tients such as are admitted to our state sana- toria. still we can pass along for general pub lie information such professional knowledge as comes to our desk via the state tuberculosis commissions report. We have always read these reports with great deal of anticipation for we knew of the vast amount of work that this commission was doing for the human sufferers of Connecticut. We have also en- listed in the fight to secure bigger and better sanatoria that the commission might combat the disease against which it had set its lance.
 Gradually Connecticut is loosening its purse strings that its sanatoria may be ex- banded: that old wooden frame buildings may be replaced with modern hre-proof ones; that adequate staffs may man each institution. Two years ago the legislature needed the growing demand for action. It wasn't enough More aid has been voted at the pres- ent session. The fight is just beginning. It must be waged until Connecticut can safely say that her institutions are on par with the best in the nation. Caring for tuberc- ulous patients cannot be done in ramshacke structures without proper facilities. It de- mands specialized attention. It must have it.
 Probably that is what caused Dr L. Brauer of Hamburg. Germany. to probe deep in his knowledge of medicine and surgery some thirty years ago when he was confronted with ten hopeless consumptive cases Tn his ward of the largest general hospital in Hamburg. Dr Brauer was physician then, not sur geon. but he certainly displayed the training of the latter in his discovery of the proper treatment of his doomed patients. What ever we may write about Dr Brauer and his work in these columns must be credited to the state tuberculosis commissions report. We are indebted to it for one piece of knowledge which we found so instructive and interest ing that we considered it worthwhile reprint ing for the average layman to digest.
 Dr Braurer conceived the idea of collaps- ing the affected lung SO that the pus might be expelled from it as in any squeezing process. Air or nitrogen could not be injected into the pleural cavities to produce this action as there were pleural adhesions. To collapse the pa- tient's lung was no new idea. but Dr Brauer suggested that 1t be done by cutting away the posterior portion of those ribs over the affect ed lung which would then collapse and rid it. self of pus. He found no surgeon who would consider the operation, so he gave up his medical practice to tackle surgery until he felt himself skilled to attempt the operation. He was successful and gave to the surgical world the operation known as thoracoplasty.
 It is one of the few lung operations that are attempted and it is generally successful, the report states. Mention is also made of arti- fcal pneumo- -thorax which is the process of squeezing pus from the lung by injecting air or nitrogen gas into the pleural cavities and which Dr Brauer found could not be done where pleural adhesions existed. In our local state sanatoria we are informed that the op- eration known as phrenicectomy is performed It consists of cutting the phrenc nerve pass ing through the neck and chest and contol- ling the action of the diaphragm. When the nerve is severed one side of the diaphragm is paralyzed. It moves upward in the chest and its pressure collapses the affected lung thus forcing the pus from it.
 With such work as this going on in our state institutions we cannot brook any legis- lative interference with expansion programs Nor should our legislators deny themselves the opportunity to become acquainted with this work by failure to visit all such sanatoria It is not enough to provide mere shelter for tuberculous patients. They demand special ized attention. They should get it whatever the cost