The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1942-12-22

questions OF general interest
only and then only through
ms column
from this speciality the average
member Of the medical profession
today has a totally different view
point towards his responsibility 10
the aged patient than he had 20
years ago.
| remember an instructor who
showed us a patient I'M a ward and
posed the question. What is the
matter with this PATIENT" He
answered II himself by saying,
"Old age. What is there to do for
the patient Nothing. There is
nothing TO 90 for old age"
This pessim,stlc attitude has
been entirely overcome and we
know that the aged not only de-
serve consideration, but also that
there are many things that can
be- done to alleviate their natural
ailments
Stand Operations Wen
in former days surgeons re-
garded a surgical operation in an
old person as an impossibility. As
time has gone on and more and
more pioneers have tried to per-
form operations on the aged, 1t
has been found that not only is it
possible to give them such relief
as might be expected from a sur
glcal operation, but also that they
stand operations extraordinarily
we'll In fact, they stand opera
tjons better than they do medical
tlons.
Drugs are likely TO act in a very
peculiar, unnatural or disagree
able way in the elderly. The rule
Is lust the opposite from that Of
children who can stand a great
deal Of varied medication without
danger but in spite Of their appar-
cnt strength and resiliency, wilt
under the onslaught Of surgical
procedure.
In a series Of cases reported by
Drs. Raymond l.. Evans and Sam
y. Key, of so patients over 60
years Of age, it was found that
nearly any type of operation
could be done on patients at these
ages with impunity. The elderly
patients were operated on for thy
roid gland disease, gallbladder di-
seasc, intestinal obstruction, her.
MIA and various forms of new
growth Of nfarly every organ in
the body.
The total number of deaths in
this entire group Of patients was
only Ska percentage Of 70. 1t
is really astonishing to consider
that removal of the thyroid gland
was performed in 10 cases and
that the average stay in the hos
pital after operation was only 10
days. In Is cases of hernia the
average age Of the patients was
nearly 20 years. Gallbladder di-
sease is a fairly safe operation in
elderly people, but appendicitis
seems to be extremely dangerous.
Remarkable Record
When It was considered that
these patients naturally had vari-
GUS kinds of complications such
az high blood pressure, weak heart,
kidney damage, the record is a
very remarkable. one.
One important factor OF the
treatment consists in a very care
full consideration Of the patients
psychology. They should be very
gradually indicted into the hos
pital routine for several days in
order TO become accustomed TO the
change in living habits.
Il is foolish to attempt to change
an elderly persons routine habits
in a hurry and success in proce-
dures Of this kind depends upon
catering to his whims regarding
alcohol, smoking and clothing.
They should also be watched care
fully in regard to diet-particu-
larly to see that they get enough
drinking water and are not de-
hydrated. Special attention should
be given to oral hygiene. skin
troubles or any disability which
exists
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
X. L. LATTER giving a blood
TRANSMISSION, what foods are best
to help produce blood? Are raw
onions good as a blood producer?
Answer: No special foods are
recommended except that we'll
balanced diet Of nutritious foods
such as eggs, meat, green vege-
tables and milk should be taken.
Onions are not especially rich in
iron and therefore cannot be
classed as blood builders. Green
vegetables, such as spinach, are
quite rich in iron.
cidedly reconstructive Congress,
likes things as they are not re.
constructed. And the new congress
will be more so than the last one