The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-11-02
DIATHERMY or ToNsILs FOR CHILpREl

In contribution to the medical press a
throat specialist who has had considerable ex-
perlence with tonsil dathermy electro -coagu-
>lation) says +
operation of choice"
The doctor states arbitrarily what is de-
batable question. Not every physician who at
tempts to employ diathermy electro coagula-
ton) for the eXtrpation Of tonsils or for other
operations is capable of using the method sue.
cessfully in young children But certainly
some physicians succeed with the method in
the cases of children from five to twelve years
OF age. 1t Is mainly a question Of the child's
training-some children will sit in the dentist
chair and permit the dentist to treat their
teeth put in filings, etc. Others have been
brought up differently and 1t is difficult i'm
possible to manage them. child who will
submit to ordinary dental treatment may make
just good patient for diathermy extirpa-
ton OF the tonsils, provided the physician is
skilful, patient and blessed with the knack of
handling children and gaining their confidence
The specialist means removal of the tonsil by
dissection or by the guillotine and snare in
short the old Spanish custome, when he speaks
of the surgical" method But in fact the dia-
thermy or INSTRUMENTATION method Is u
surgical method, and indeed the physician
who uses it successfully requires rather more
skill than is needed to do the old fashioned
operation.
But this throat specialist who reported his
experience to the medical profession was APP
parently not too well informed about the effects
of diathermy its particular value. He de-
scribes one case, the only serious case of hem
orrhage following one of his treatments. He
used hemostats (artery clamps) in a futile eff
fort to stop the bleeding. Had he been more
familiar with the uses of diathermy he would
not have wasted time that way. Finally he says
he lightly coagulated the bleeding point and
the bleeding ceased Incidentally there is
| rarely any bleeding at all when diathermy is
skifully used
One of the most impressive functions of dia-
thermy-impressve, at least to the brass throat
surgeons who still lay back their long ears and
bray that the electric" method is no good
doesn't get all the tonsil, etc-is that 1t has
proved the best bet for stopping such bleeding
after the standard tonsllectomy. Not few
old time throat surgeons have been rescued
from their waywardness by seeing this happy
effect of diathermy in case of such uncon-
trollable hemorrhage following the old Spanish
custom. Dathermy is pre-emnently the meth
cd for persons who bleed too freely
The specialist who made this report does
seem to consider the diathermy method the
method of choice in poor surgical risks. the
aged, in cases where the patient cannot lose any
time from his work or business.
Boy, take all my time you want, but give me
the diathermy method when my tonsils must
be removed, for don't like sore throat at all.
Castor Oil Has Some Use Maybe
The Hollywood lady who told you about her
success I'm driving away mice and gOphers by
growing u castor bean tree ON the premises and
scattering the beans about the ground. I
have read I'm some magazine that castor beans
drive away moths and that the seeds if eaten
are a real poison for rats and mice. IN. J.)
Answer-Thank you. Perhaps other readers
will give us their experience with it. After all.
everything that grows must have some use in
| the world.
In Your Eye
Ben Told brushing castor oil along the edges
OF the eyelids ON the roots of the lashes will In.
crease the growth OF the eyelashes. Any harm
In using IL SO? "a. j. b.
Answer.-No. Castor oil Is soothing to an ir-
ritated eye. Please report what effects you OBJ
| tain with it..
Brh-rll-rh!
Is It good hygience to take mOrning show
| err beginning with hot and u fast cold finish?
| "a. M
Answer-Yes. IL you enjoy it and feel good
after the shower.
Copyright, 1888. John B. Ollie Coz