OPINIONS OF LOCAL MEDICAL MEN

Otago Witness, Issue 2520, 2 July 1902, Page 63

OPINIONS OF LOCAL MEDICAL MEN

Questioned on Friday night by one of our reporters, Dr W. S. Roberta said: "The fact of pain being felt in the wound does not necessarily imply any serious significance, for the reason that many trifling causes may cause a temporary return of pain. As long as the main conditions remain satisfactory, puoh as pulse, temperature, appetite, general comfort, etc., the case must be regarded, in the light piesented to us, as proceeding favourably. In other words-, the fact of returned pain, taken by itself, need not cause uneasiness. There is an absence of many of the surgical details, and without them it is impossible to do anything more than gueEv;."

One of our reporters called on Dt Closs on Friday with the object of ascertaining whether in the doctor's opinion there was any inference to be drawn from the cable information that there had been a return of pain from the wound in the King caused by the operation. Dr Closs replied that he did not think pain in the wound really meant anything of any consequence when the operation was probably an extra peritoneal one, and comparitively safe. If the information given m the cablegrams was true, he thought recovery was assured, unless Fcime internal complications ensued. Appendicitis, said Dr Closs, was not usually associated with abscess, but now and «.qain it was, nud that complicated considerably the operation for the removal of the appendix. But from the position of the incision, as per cable, he should say they had gone on the principle to simply open the abcess and allow it to drain out through the external opening, and leave the vermiform appendix alone. Sometimes no evil results ensued fj-om the appendix having been left. If it was true, as stated in the cable, that the King's temperature was normal at the time of cabling, then he thought there was no room whatever for anxiety its to the result.