OPERATION IN STORM

Greymouth Evening Star, 26 June 1922, Page 2

OPERATION IN STORM

SURGEON LASHED TO TABLE

A drama of the sea that caused the liner America to be 12 hours late in reaching Plymouth recently from New York was that of her dash of 150 miles to render medical aid ’to Engineer Boyd O’Neal, of the United States steamer, New England, who had been badly injured in an explosion in the engine room. The S.O.S. came by wireless. O’Neal was transferred' to the America in a rough sea in a lifeboat manned by a volunteer crew. ‘Most of the urgent operations at sea are performed hiUUiSjfri cases of appendicitis,” said an official of the Canadian Pacific Steamship Company. “Our ships are equipped to enable operations to be carried out afloat as if on land. Three of'our—vessels have proper operating theatres. “During a recent voyage of one_ of our liners the doctors had three separate wireless calls from different vessels, asking for advice regarding cases of urgent illness on board. The doctor" diagnosed the cases by wireless, and ‘prescribed’ by tho same medium.” A most daring operation at sea was performed not very long ago. It occurred on board the United States cruiser Dakota when it was in the grip of a great storm. A corporal on board was suffering acutely from appendicitis and an immediate operation was necessary.

The ship was stopped, but so high were the seas that the two surgeons were themselves lashed to the operating table, and they carried out their work between tho lurches of the ship. Their successful operation took 45 minutes to perform.