THE CRAZE FOR OPERATIONS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 14060, 15 May 1906, Page 9

THE CRAZE FOR OPERATIONS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—l think the ventilation of tho above subject in your columns is likely to result in a great deal of good. It is all very well for the doctors to poohpooh the discussion of this vitally important question in “a .lay paper.” That is always tho attitude adopted by the medical "faculty in regard to any matter affecting their profession. If they could they would, doubtless, render it compulsory on all patients to trust themselves blindly in their bands and do as they tell them. In fact, that is rather a. failing with the members of all the learned professions—priests, lawyers and doctors. They all prefer unquestioning faith and “ no questions asked.” The intelligent minority prefer to exercise their common-sense and do a little thinking on their own account. Tho unintelligent majority swallow all they are told, and are as clay in the hands of the potter when they consult a man belonging to 'any of the professions I have mentioned. In the case of the doctors it is, as more than one of tile medicos interviewed by your representative admits, the womenfolk who'are the more easily persuaded that an. operation is necessary. In fact, there can be n-6 doubt at all that in many instances women insist upon being operated upon. Bo that as it may, there has, unquestionably, been an enormous increase in operations of recent years. Take appendicitis, for example. When the news was cabled out that the King was about to undergo an operation for this complaint, hero actually did not know what the word appendicitis meant, and I. well remember reporter's on the staffs of both tho leading Christchurch journals being sent to-interview the local doctors as to the ''signification , of the unknown word. The information they wore able to collect on the subject was of the scantiest, too. That was only a very few years ago l . ' But appendicitis is now as common as typhoid, and one is constantly hearing of those who have undergone or are about to undergo an operation for it, even here in Christchurch. The fact is, there is a fashion in disease as in many other things. Do yon remember how tho unfortunate lameness of the present Queen when she was Princess of Wales, was imitated by the smart ladies of thirty years ago or so? Why, “the Alexandra limp” was quite the correct tiling to have. It is just the same with appendicitis. Since the King had it thousands have had it and been operated on for it. Had tho King never had it it would have remained unknown, or would have been called something else, and in very many cases it would have been treated in a very simple way. “ When I was a young man,” a certain Now Zealand doctor is reported.to have said, apropos of this complaint.,” wo called the tiling the stomach-ache, and tried a _ little opening medicine. We now call it appendicitis, and perform a costly operation in order to effect a cure.” If women would exercise a little patience and common-sense, and try some simple home treatment when attacked by illness, before sending for a doctor, there would, depend upon it, be far fewer operations, far fewer hopelessly ruined constitutions, and far few opulent surgeons.—l am, etc., ST ALBANS.

TO THE''EDITOR. Sir, —There is one phase of this subject that has not received attention from your various ( contributors, and which, in my opinion, far outweighs all the others put together,, and that is the large number of surgeons who operate. I have only been a few years in Christchurch, but what struck me on coming here as peculiar was that, instead of operations being confined to men of some experience, as in other countries, almost ©very member of the profession was an operator. If a_ doctor will only provide himself with_ a pair of indiarubber gloves and some instruments, it matters not whether he has ever done an operation before, ho will get patients to operate on.—l am, A°MEMBER OF THE PROFESSION. May 14, 1906.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —During tho last quarter of a century advances in medical and surgical science have been startling, and still the progress continues. It is impossible for any man, however gifted, to keep abreast of the whole of medical and sur-o-ical discovery. Hence, specialisation m tho more important branches' has been taken up by many members of the profession. ■ These men recognise that it is better to know everything of something-than something of everything, and the public got the benefit of their special experience. In the larger cities of tho world special work is handed over by tho general medical practitioner to these men. Thus we have oculists, aurists, rhinojogists, laryngologists, gynecologists, alienists, and men who have specially studied certain regions, and even certain organs of the bodv, who are appealed to by the general practitioner when he needs their, services. This practice does not obtain everywhere, and has hardly reached New Zealand. Here a doctor with more or less experience, without the special training or skill to make him a specialist in any one branch, will take on himself that role and will operate on eye, car, throat, abdomen or other part. As long as the public submit to the general practitioner posing as knowing everything of everything, especially surgery, so long will their abdomens and other parts be “lucky hags.” When they understand that an exploratory operation ” is a confession of ignorance they will call in another or

several opiniofia before “ submitting, to the knife.” A specialists reputation takes mairy years and much study hnd expense to acquire; it is his all, and bo naturally takes every care to diagnose carefully hofor© submitting bis patient to cure by operations, as bis reputation depends on. the result of bis'treatment. From him there is no appeal, and ho line no excuse. Distrust amongst members of the profession on the one hand, and a foolish desire among some women to emulate a. friend or neighbour who has undergone an operation on-the other, has brought about _ this discussion on the. “ Lust for Operation ” which does not, and cannot exist among the vast majority 7 of a. profession which is made up of educated gentlemen, but which does pertain in a few isolated eases where the greed of gain has overcome all honourable feelings, and drives men to undertake operations and other treatment which they knew they have no moral right to attempt when special skill and experience aro at their patients’ service.—l am, etc., MEDIC US PLAOIDUS.