The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-07-16
WHEN NERVES GO WRONG, WE CUT FEM


 Recently a man in Kansas City suffered an attack of hiccoughs that persisted in spite oi all remedies for ten days and night. He was finally taken to the operating room and the l surgeon severed the two phrenic nerves Tn the patients neck. These nerves are spinal nerves which supply sensation and motion to the diaphragm. The cutting of the nerves immedi- ately stopped the spasm of the diaphragm and the patient obtained desperately needed res. Of course his diaphragm is put out of commis- sion for an indefinite time, perhaps forever, Du' had this surgical interference not been avail. able the hiccoughs would probably nave pu' the whole man out of commission for longer than that If the phrenc nerves should fall to regenerate and resume their function, the pa tient simply goes on he was only slightly less | actively, for his breathing capacity would be | limited and exerton would quickly wind him | just as though he had damaged lung or an | impaired heart.
 l 1t is getting quite the fashion to jump in and | cut off nerves when they get crossed or any l thing. Take Raynaud's disease ("dead fngers') l for example In very troublesome cases when | other known palliative remedies fail it is now | the custom to roll the patient into the operat- | ing room and do thoraci or lumbar sym | pathetic gan9ionectomy-the sympathetic re- | fers to the nervous system not to the doctors and nurses, though sometimes they are so very
 and if you were the patient you'd be sur | prised and delighted with the results. In se- | ries of six patients with advanced Raynaud's s | disease of the feet this comparatively simple l division or severing of the nerves supplying | the blood vessels involved gave complete relief | which has lasted from one to four years so far. | The feet have been warm and dry even in the | coldest weather. There have been no untoward | effects observed.
 Thoracic sympathetic ganglion removal has | been done in series of cases of Raynauds | disease involving the upper extremites, all very severe, advanced cases 'Three such cases | observed for from two to eleven months after the operation, have shown no further evidence of spasm of the surface vessels. The hands have remained warm and dry. In one case seven months after operation mild bueness of two fingers Is induced by any emotional upset possibly stray strand of the sympathetic nerve missed in the operation.
 In twenty cases of thrombo- angiits obliter- ans affecting the legs, lumbar sympathetic ganglionectomy has proved beneficial for 16 and a failure in four. In four cases of throm- bo -angiitis obliterans affecting the hands, thor acic sympathetic ganglionectomy (good prac- tice for the tongue, what?) has proved emin- ently satisfactory bringing complete relief to the pain and other symptoms
 This nerve operation is not cure for either disease. It is merely supplementary protec- tive measure that improves the circulation in the affected region and hence prevents graver
 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
 So, There!
 Read It and Feel the Lump
 My little daughter, aged 10 1-2 months, has very bow legs. We have porch or yard, so she is unable to play outdoors or get any sun or open air. She has cod liver oil every day. Is there any special shoe you would advise? !? Would an inexpensive sum lamp help? (Mrs NJ. P. W.
 Answer--Feel little lump in your throat, reader? l did--until came to the postscript, which explains that the family is closed the child is still out of luck when she goes for a ride. Then swallowed the lump, broke off a piece of my wisdom tooth and swore copiousy to myself. Just another case where we're goin' to keep up with the Joneses. by God, even if it takes the life of our children There are literally millions of people in this stricken land who live in novels or in tinselled packing boxes in order to support an automo- bile expensive looking as the Joneses have This may be all very well where 1t is merely a matter of an intentionally childless couple playing the game of bluff but it is crime when it is carried on at the cost of the happi- ness and health of children. Read 1t again folks and see if you can think up remedy for this sad little girl.