The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-09-21
A SURGEON IS IRRITATED


If hernia published in this column
Irritated him a great deal. says the
head Of the surgical department in
Class A medical school, in a personal
communication
g.. but also stimulated me to
look into it as a result of my
Investigations I have arrived at
conclusions which are early, and
perhaps indefinite, but among
them is one which corresponds to
certain extent with yours-that
injection treatment Is worth try
ing before operation, in certain
cases :.
have had wide operative ex-
perience in the treatment of her
MIA and realize that it is not a
panacea. Certain cases are bound
to recur ;. After investigation
tried the method on some cases
and while realizing that it is too
early to be final. the results have
been surprisingly good so that I
am encouraged to 60 on with the
underst anding that, in certain
cases, there will be failures and
surgery may be required. How
ever. I agree with you that the
question of failure is applicable to
one method as to the other.
I am writing this as tribute to
your power to irritate some of us
and irritation sometimes causes
stimulation. I wish that 1t were
possible for you to be little more
circumspect in some of your state
ments but perhaps it Is necessary
in order to get ideas across.
With sense of gratitude, I am
Never mind who).
I know the doctor would not wish
his name mentioned here, but I am
sure he would permit me to give 1t
to any physician of standing.
The power to irritate," as applied
to our medical colleagues, is just a
mean way I have Of apprising the
public and the rank and file OF the
profession of modern developments IN
scientific medicine year or two be-
fore some of the men behind the
guns adopt the new idea. Circum-
spect? I hope to meet this distin-
guished surgeon and teacher some
time and give him an insight into the
way in which I investigate an inno-
walton before commend or advocate
it here. He'd be pleased. There is
need for more circumspection in the
attitude physicians take toward these
modern methods, especially on the
part of the editors Of our national
and state medical organs. These
myopic mouthpieces Of the profession
too often make themselves and the
profession at large ridiculous by their
reactions to irritation.
MY surgeon correspondent does not
tell me, but I happen to know that
the physician Of a great corporation
in his city was asked by the corpora
ton to report on the merits OF the
ambulant method. Probably some
employe had been cured OF hernia
without being laid up for six weeks
The corporations physician invited
the surgeon to join him in a visit 70
a country doctor who was using the
injection treatment with reputed sue
cess. They found the country doctor
a thoroughly competent man. yea. q
man of the finest scientific type. He
showed them every step OF the meth.
cd, and patients in various stages OF
treatment. He gave them references
to the scientific literature bearing or
the method or attempts at 1t. cover
ing a period Of 80 years! The young
country doctor proved, indeed, an IN
spiration, when these two city doc
tors had approached him expecting x
find a crude charlatan. No doubt tn
corporation became interested in tn,
method for the reason that from $l0'
to $50 covers the total cost OF tn
treatment, whereas the standard op.
Grafton for hernia costs $3.50 to $4Ot
and keeps the patient away from
work six weeks.
II one good man here and there
sees the light. it will dawn on the en-
tire profession presently.