WIRELESS KNIFE OPERATION.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 5 July 1924, Page 7

WIRELESS KNIFE OPERATION.

The ingenious application of the current from a wireless set to a surgeon's knife which burns its way through the tissues of the body lias been successfully carried out by Dr. L. E. Schmidt, of Chicago. This form of operation is practically bloodless, as the heat of the knife coagulates the blood. The- knife, which is about half the breadth of a lead pencil, and resembles a knitting needle, forms one terminal. The other is.applied to the patient. The human tissue offers resistance to the passage of the current when the knife is applied, and the resistance causes heat. The knife burns itself through the skin, fat 'and muscle, quickly and without pressure. The set is equipped .with two 10-watt power valves and ebndenoos. The current oscillates at the rate of 40.000 cycles a second' The tension is 800 volts at 450 milli-amperes. The heat developed is great enough to fuse brass. Dr. A. J. Wochinski. who assisted at the operation, says it can be used practically wherever the knife can. One advantage of this method, he adds, is that it prevents loss of blood, unless a large artery should be severed, and the patient is thus saved the usual shock that follows major operations. The new instrument also makes nossible very delicate operations.—Daily Express.