SURGERY AT SEA.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19110, 20 September 1927, Page 3

SURGERY AT SEA.

OPERATION OFF CAPE HORN. NEW ZEALAND DOCTOR'S SUCCESS. (frost our own correseondent.) LONDON, August 13. As the Commonwealth and Dominion •Line's steamer. Port Auckland, was about to round Cape Horn on June .28th, it-was found that a fireman, Mr A. J. Merton, had appendicitis..: These cargo vessels, which carry only twelve passengers, are .'not compelled to have a doctor on board, but it happened that they had one for this trip in the. person of Dr. 0. S. Hetherington, who was' on his way. Home for further istudies after taking his degree ■ at Dunedin University. Dr. Hetherington decided that an operation on the patient was imperative. In the rough sea the ship was rolling heavily, but the engines were stopped and the dining saloon, was chosen as an operating theatre,. Arc lights were brought and assistants called for. Among the half-dozen passengers was an Englishwoman, Miss Swindell, the only woman on board, who ; during the war had had some experience as a V.A.D. j She and two of the officers were the-! surgeon's assistants.

Now, although the equipment on a cargo steamer includes drugs, bandages, and such it does not include surgeon's instruments. Possibly, the Board of Trade deem it inexpedient to trust unqualified officers with'these, lest they should be tempted to perform operations on their own account. There were no instruments for an operation on board, neither did Dr. Hetherington have any of his own.- The matter was all carefully thought out, however, and substitutes were provided.

To administer the anaesthetic a teastrainer, was covered with a towel, and tliis was placed - over~the patient's nose. Ether and chloroform were sprinkled from a bottle until the, patient was unconscious, and throughout the operation, which lasted from midnight till nearly 3 a.m., the < surgeon had to watch the eyes of his patient to.see that he was .not coming round, ordering more anaesthetic from time to time. Cut Marie with' Scissors. The cut was made' with great difficulty with a small pair of scissors, the patient's, tongue was fastened by means of a safety-pin stuck' through it, and the wound was kept open by means of bent spoons. Clothes-pegs-arid meat-hooks were also employed. Down below in the kitchen the cook, Mr Eicardo, kept his ovens at boiling heat for hours, sterilising the instruments. ' , The operation completed, the patient was carried—a task of the: greatest difficulty with the boat rolling and tossing—to his cabin. The wound quickly healed, but pneumonia and bronchitis set in. Miss Swindell nursed the. patient, day and night, back- to ;'health, and, as one of the. officers said," she' and the doctor- undoubtedly 'saved' his life." Every Precaution Taken.

One. of the officers who took part in the operation said: "It., was a tremendous responsibility., to take, but the doctor:was the coolest man on board. He thought everything out'and. took every precaution. He ; was confidence itself. . .

''During the operation 'he pointed out to. me exactly what he was : doing.-: Miss' Swindell, too,'-was/grd'at, and' stuck i,t like a'-brick.",- •. The patient was nip Irhen'\'the';Yessel. ..arrived ..in „ London,land apparently iii gobd :Ji'caltß/ jjjlr; -Mettyhtf; ;i8 , a ; , "'The doctor-told me of fhe risk, but, ■J never doubted;liis ability.to pull me-, through. His. confidence inspired me. /I - iW-roto a letter, by. request, to my .-wife, but tore! it up as soon, as I.came round." I."think I must'..be ,the first .man to." be' operated• on' for appendicitis while rounding Cape. Horn. Here' lam again, as -'fit as a.-fiddle, though,, of .course, r I shall have to avoid-really heavy lift- , ing .'work for,a wliile."