The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1933-04-08
BETTER TO BE FILTERED
THAN ROBBED

A professional singer was robbed of
his tonsils recently. The brass spe-
cialist who committed the robbery got
away with everything, including at
least a fifty-fifty share Of the public
ity the singers professional con-
nections brought. Still it Is not ally
beer and skittles, suppose. 1t was
an excellent publicity job and no
doubt the press agent who did the
work received his percentage from
both the singer and the brass spe-
cialist. It was a we'll nigh perfect
Job. I can think Of but one bit OF
establishment that might have been
added picture of a pretty girl IN
nurse regalia taking the patients
pulse with thumb on ulna while he
tries out his voice to see the effect
of the operation.
Sixteen years ago New York
physician canvassed 500 laryngologists
(throat specialists to you, children)
and 500 singing teachers or rather
teachers of singing, and tabulated
their opinions of the results Of ton
sillectomy on the singing voice. OIL
course in those days the old Spanish
custom was the conventional standard
-excising as much of the tonsu as
one could engage in the guillotine and
snare, and If this left too much tom
sill in the throat, fishing around and
shipping off tags and ends with scis-
sors or dissecting them out with
scalpel.
This survey embraced 500 tonsil
operations on singers. Here are the
main conclusions the investigator
reached:
/. In the hands of skilled operators
tonsil operations in singers give good
results.
2. Loss of singing voice occurs very
rarely after tonsillectomy.
3. Impaired voice Is possible. but
most cases show an increased range
of from half to a full tone.
I. Bad results are most often due
to scars from careless dissection or
from neglected after treatment.
5. Injury to the tissues surround
ing the tonsil may prove disastrous.
At the time the report Of this sur
vey was given to the profession good
throat surgeons agreed that bad re-
suits are due to careless dissection
or to injury to tissues surrounding the
tonsil, but said that no amount or
kind of latter treatment" win pre-
vent such injuries from leaving scars
and perhaps bad after effects.
The last bedside bulletin In the case
that actuates this discussion told the
anxious world that the tenor had
achieved the high e or whatever rare
note his tonsils had prevented him
from singing before.
Nowadays singers or speakers who
naturally prefer to take no chances
Of injuring the voice may have their
tonsils removed with impunity. In
deed. not q few have been able to
keep up their regular speaking or
singing engagements while undergo
ing diathermy treatment for extirpa-
ton Of the tonsils. Moreover, the
modern method-it Is the method OF
choice for anyone who. like myself,
cannot regard with eQuaaimjty the
possible ''complications'' Of the glillo-
tine and snare atrocity-the dia-
thermy method Is at least q effective
IN the eradication Of Infection q u
old fashioned, bloody, dangerous sur.
gerry. in everyday practice.
How anyone, least Of al . physician,
can recommend OF practice the Old
Spanish method In this day Of shock.
less, bloodless, painless surgery, 4
more than I can understand. Il ]
wished to get rid Of my tonsils I'd
rather they be pilfered than that
be assaulted and robbed Of them.
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