The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1933-05-19
CONSERVATIVE TREATMENT OF
INFECTED TONsILS

The studies OF DR.. Albert .. Kaiser
Of Rochester, NJ Y, DR.. Ruby L. Cum
bingham, Of Berkeley, CAL, and DR..
Albert 8. WEIGH, Of Kansas City, Mo-,
have brought about q great change
in the attitude of the medical profess
sion towards the treatment Of in
fected tonsils.
/ DR.. Kaiser has carefully observed
the effects Of removal Of tonsils In
thousands Of school children, and he
has compared the health and sick
ness records of these with thousands
Of children who have not been sub
jected to tonsillectomy. His study,
carried on through a period Of many
years, has taught us the unwisdom Of
the radical and indiscriminate re-
moval Of tonsils in children.
DR.. Cunningham has compiled data
on the health Of college women, COM
pairing the health status Of those
whose tonsils have been removed
with that Of other thousands whose
tonsils have not been removed. Her
study has convinced many Of US that
the radical attitude of the past 80
years has been wrong.
DR.. WEIGH has made pathological
study Of a thousand tonsils removed
in the clinics or dispensaries Of
Kansas City, and the actual findings,
which I have repeatedly quoted here,
have confirmed a belief that I, for
one, have long held, namely, that the
standard operation Of tonsillectomy,
as done by good surgeons, Is rather
a crude job in any case, and an un-
justified assault in too many cases.
The tremendous gain in popularity
which the diathermy method has en-
joyed in the past five years, as an
alternative for the major operation
Of tonsillectomy, has given us good
reason for still further conservatism
in dealing with infected tonsils. In
a considerable share Of cases it has
happened that the patient. suffering
from some focal infection, has ex-
perienced such marked improvement
following the first or second dia-
thermy treatment, that we have had
to admit the obvious explanation
namely, that the first or second
coagulation has sterilized or disin-
fected the septic focus in the tonsil.
II the principle Of focal infection ut
is q principle, not merely a theory
is scientific, then we must admit that
having sterilized, drained or Destroy
ed the septic focus we have accom-
plished all that is necessary, and we
cannot consistently say that the re-
naming tonsil tissue must be re-
moved. No one has ever shown that
uninfected or normal tonsil tissue
does any harm in the throat.
When I hear q physician or sur
geon cavilling about the Incomplete
ness Of this or that method Of treat
ing tonsil infection know at once
that he Is not good surgeon though
he may be q fine operator.
I call the standard tonsillectomy
"the old Spanish custom" I mean
to imply that it is q crude and dan
gerous procedure. I now prophesy
that this operation will be obsolete
within few years, and sane con-
sentative methods of dealing with in
1ecCeQ tonsllS Will replace 1t IN prac-
tice.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Scars
What to use on scars? Severely
cut on face four years ago. &c. NJ
Answer-Nothing you can apply
will help. A skilled esthetic surgeon
PLASTIC surgeon can probably i'm
prove the appearance.
Pyorrhea
Is pyorrhea contracted from some
one who has it? II so, in what way?
(MrS. r. A. H.
Answer-"Pyorrhea" Is not a de-
finite disease. So far as we know,
there is nothing communicable about
the common inflammatory conditions
Of gums or tooth sockets.
Air in Vein
What would be the result If a doc
tor injected q bubble Of air into a