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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Seaforth News, 1958-04-10, Page 2"Mad" Doct•."r Saved Millions r In the maternity ward of a great Viennese ' hospital an' alarming :: number of mothers were dying of puerperal. fever. "This is something- beyond the science of medicine to remedy,". Professor Johann Klein told the medical students, "We can do nothing about it." it wasn't exactly a death war- rant in those days of the nine- teenth century for a woman to go for her confinement into that ward; but it was a hazardous venture, For of- every hundred mothers who were confined there, twelve never left it alive.. Professor Johann Klein was a vain and jealous man. If there were to be changes, improve- ments or medical discoveries, they were to come from him. If they came from any other source, the professor mobilized hospital opinion against the in- novator. Ile did so when Dr. Ignaz Semmelweiss one day advanced a revolutionary theory. Dr. Semmelweiss made a start- ling discovery when a staff phy- sician, who had been working in the dissecting room, got a cut in his hand. The wound festered, he ran a high temperature and died. Dr. Semmelweiss pondered this case. For the dead man's symptoms had been very like those of the mothers of the ma- ternity ward who contracted puerperal fever and almost in- variably died of it. Along with him, as he did his rounds, went the carefree tribe of medical students. They exam- ined the patients, learnt some- thing, worked their way along the ward , . , Dr. Semmelweiss saw the link. His colleague had died of a poisoned wound. He had got that poison while dissecting dead bodies, Something in the dead must have poisoned hint. The students went straight from the dissecting rooms to the maternity ward. Some of them washed their hands; some for- got. "Gentlemen," he said next day, "nobody is to enter the maternity ward, whether he has : been dis- secting or otherwise engaged, until he has sciuliber his hands and arms in _chlorinated lime water." ° That was in •I\ray, 1847. Dr. Semmelweiss noted"the mater- nity mortality -rate for that month; 12.24 per cent. At the end of the year scrupul- ously clean hands had saved some scores of mothers, The :mortality rate in the ward was clown to 1,27 per cent. Dr. Semmelweiss considered this proof enough of his theory as he hurried to the office of Professor Johann Klein. "But my good Semmelweiss," exploded the vain little profes- sor, "are you telling me that all that we have to do is wash our hands to rid the science of medi- eine of its great scourge? Come —this is ridiculous!" Wherever he went, to whom- ever he turned, Dr, Semmelweiss `could get no hearing, It began to prey on his mind. Women would die by the thousand, by the hundred thousand, by the trillion in'the years ahead, all because they were poisoned by the contaminated hands of doe - tors and students who touched them. Dr. Semuielweiss became e nuisance to Professor Klein and to his colleagues and a bore to !is students. One day, while Professor Klein v.'as sipping a coffee and brandy at a cafe table, he saw Dr. Sem- melweiss walking down . t' h e pavement distributing leaflets. Somehow or other the saviout of mothers had to get his mes-. sage across. "If the profession turned from him, then perhaps the public would understand. When he had finished reading the leaflet, Professor Klein hur- ried off to the hospital. He was furious. This was 'unprofessional conduct. It was madness. The next day he sent for. Dr. Semmelweiss and suggested- to him that it might be as well if he sought another hospital where he night propagate his ridicu- luus ideas, That night Dr. Semmelweiss left Vienna for his native Buda- pest and secured a staff appoint- ment in the Pest Hospital. There he met with the same strange op- position. Nobody wanted the truth. One day, when he had been in charge of the great maternity ward for six years, Dr. Semmel- weiss went to the chief physician. "In my ward," he said, "the mortality rate for mothers is now 0.85 per cent. Six years ago, it was over fifteen per cent!". The chief physician did not rise and shake Dr. Semmelweiss's hand. He simply did not believe that this vast saving of mother's lives had been due to so simple a cause as clean hands in place of dirty ones in doctors and students. Today the stupidity of this failure to see the obvious seems more astonishing because, since that time, the work of Pasteur and others has isolated germs in decomposing matter nad shown the part they play in spreading disease. Not even Dr. Semmel- weiss understood that it was germs in the bodies of the dead that killed' the living, But he did see plainly cause and effect — dirt and death. Thus, once again, Dr. Semmel- weiss found himself written off as a crank. And, in fact, it was not until after his death that his great discovery came to be adopted. Gradually, the thought of the millions of unnecessary deaths preyed more and more on the :Hind of Dr. Semmelweiss as ne wandered about the crowded main thoroughfares of Pest, handng out his leaflets. He became known as a crank. And as though to justify those who barred his path to progess, he finally lost his reason al- together. NOT SO CLEAN SWEEP After robbing a Detroit store of beer, wine and cans of as- sorted meats, the three thieves responsible realized that they would leave tracks in the snow. Taking a broom from those on sale in the shop they carefully swept away their footprints as they went, Police called to the scene shortly after the robbery simply followed the broom marks to the door of the house where the thieves had fled with their booty and arrested theme It often shows a fine command Of language to say nothing. PING TO. SAFETY—Mise Maude 1. iarrpbell, 63, is shown roping "Into o fire net from her fourthifloor apartment during. ee general alarm .blaze In Scranton. She was injured when she it the net and taken to a hospital- Moments later, another woman leaped to her death from a third floor window. The Fre was called by veteran firemen the worst the city had ever seen. , N . 1 IN THEIR HEARTS - The people • of Medellin and the Antioguia district of Colgmbia have a soft spot in their hearts for ttiis little iron horse. The diminutive 0-4-0 served Colombia's - railroads from 1875 to 1928 and has:since been mounted on - a pedestal in Medellin. Frpm its perch the tiny'teakettle surveys a new era in Colombia't railroading, as the country nears completion of a modern rail system which links all its major cities. i% iilMEV tliW -. ;4,1 ;FABLE TALKS A memorable dessert which is recommended especially for teen-age get-togethers is apple Banbury tarts. Serve them warm for best taste. This recipe makes 21 dozen, APPLE BANBURY "TARTS 23es cups (1 can) sliced cooked apples 1 can (4 -ounce) shredded coconut 34 cup currants 1 cup sugar 1 lemon, grated rind and juice 1 egg 2 tablespoons butter Flaky pastry Thoroughly drain apples; combine apples, coconuts, cur- rants, sugar, lemon rind and juice. Beat egg; add, with butter, to apple mixture. Roll out pastry '/e ineh thick. Cut in 4 -inch squares. Place a little apple mixture on each square. Moisten edges of pastry with water; fold to make tri- angle. Press edges together with tines of fork. Make slits in top for steam escape. Bake at 425' F. 15-20 minutes, * * * Another treat of delectable bites for teen-agers is apple doughnuts. This makes 5-6 doz- en. They're guaranteed to dis- appear fast at a party. APPLE DOUGHNUTS 4 tablespoons shortening I% cups sugar 3 eggs 5 cups sifted flour 4 teaspoons baking powder • 1 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons each, nutmeg and cinnamon a4 eup milk 1 cup well -drained sliced cooked apples (canned) Confectioners' sugar or cinnamon sugar' Cream together the shortening and sugar; add eggs, one at a time, beating after each. Sift to- gether dry ingredients; add al- ternately with milk to creamed mixture. Cut apples in small pieces; add. Mix well, Drop by teaspoons into deep fat; heated to 375° F. Fry 3 minutes, turn- ing once to brown all sides. Drain on absorbent paper. Roll in -sugar. * * * There is now a cream puff mixture on the market which you may want to try, but if you prefer making your own, try this recipe. It makes 8 or 9 puffs. CREAM PUFFS ' - 34 cup water 1 cup butter 3 eggs '/s cup sifted all-purpose flour ee teaspoon salt Bring water to boiling point in saucepan; add butter; stir until melted, Bring to boiling point; quickly add all of the flour and salt. Cook, stirring con- stantly, about 2 minutes, or un- til mixture forms smooth, com- pact mass. Cool slightly; add eggs one at a time beating after each. Beat 5 minutes, or until mixture is thick and shiny. Using tablespoon or pastry bag, .immediately shape dough 2 inches apart on greased baking sheet in mounds 21/4 inches in diameter. Bake in very hot oven (450° F.) 10 minutes. Reduce to 350° F. and bake 20-25 minutes. a „ e As a change from the usual custard -cream tilling, here is a recipe for an applesauce filling which has, been worked out espe- cially for you. APPLE SAUCE FILLINGr >✓ pound marshmallowe, diced 2 tablespoons chapped / maraschino cherries 2 ;cups canned apple sauce % cup heavy • cream Stir marshmallows and cher- ries into apple sauce. Beat cream until stiff; fold into apple sauce mixture. Split cream puff shells and spoon in the apple sauce filling. Place on serving plate and sprin- kle top, with confectioners' sugar * t Cream puffs may also be filled with sweetened whipped cream, berries, or a stiff custard filling. If you like them iced, use choco- late frosting on those filled with whipad cream or custard. * e * Here's a helpful wrinkle: when you need to wrap cake in waxed paPer, sprinkle or rub the paper with •powered sugarand the icing on the cake is less likely to stick. * * * Got some leftover ham? You can use it wisely and well in ham croquettes. For four serv- ings, you'll need about two cups of ham to one of mashed potato, plus seasonings and a tablespoon each of chopped onion and pars- ley. Dip in a beaten egg (mixed with 1 tablespoon water) shape, and fry. "Coal -Ail" Does A Come -Back Kerosene lighted the lamps of the world as the first major prod- uct of America's oil industry in the late 1800's. In the early days the refiners threw away a pesky product known as gaso- line. The big boom — for heating as well as lighting — came in kerosene, Pioneer refineries also supplied paraffin to candle mak- ers, oils for .textile mills, and greases for horsecars. - Then up chugged the muter buggy and Thomas Alva Edison came forth with the electric light — and it was lights out for the Kerosene Age. In 1911, for the first time, refineries produced more gasoline than kerosene. Suddenly, in a jet age, kero- sene is whooshing along' in a comeback. It's still the light colorless liquid that also answers. to such names as coaloil, car- bon oil and — in Great Britain — paraffin oil. Humber Oil & Refining Com- pany, in one of its current pub- lications, tells of the bright new prospects for old -limey kerosene. "Jets and kerosene go together likt race horses and oats," re- counts Humble. "Big commer- cial airliners scheduled for deliv- ery next year have an insati- able thirst for this early -day illuminant, gulping up,. to 2,400 gallons an hour while in flight. Even idling on the runway, they burn 700 gallons an hour. . . "The • United States military, biggest consumer of .aircraft fuels, took its last big piston plane last year. Commercial air- lines will receive their last ones this year. From then on, jets more than likely kerosene - powered — will rule the skies." Today, the leading jet fuel is known as the JP -4 type. It con- tains 30 per cent kerosene and 70 per cent gasoline. However, the commercial jets that the American public soon will fly may prefer an . all -kerosene fuel. "Also, when supersonic planes of the future arrive," notes Hum- ble, "kerosene may be a choice because of its lower volatility." (Even missiles can use kerosene - type fuels for their first -stage propulsion.) In far corners of the earth, meanwhile, kerosene continues to heat homes, fuel cooking stoves, and light millions of lamps. Humble sums up the va- rious roles of coal oil: "Kerosene is still an essential Of farm life in many countries. Besides giving light and heat, it is . warming chicken 111:11':agars, burning off prickly pear spines, killing rangeland brush, and fueling machinery. "It also is serving humanity in a number of versatile new ways. Highly refined versions of kero- sene are being used as dry-clean- ing fluid, It helps fly giant jet airplanes over the Arctic Circle, powers batteryless transistor radio sets in the Netherlands, and cools refrigerators in Afri- ca." ANCHOR'S AWAY Proud of his achievement, H. S. Hanks invited a couple of friends tp enjoy the maiden trip of his home-made 12 ft. dinghy. After cruising around for a spell off Cape Jervis, S. Aus- tralia, they threw the shiny, new 7 -lb. anchor overhoard. A hun- gry shark promptly towed them for over a mile before one of the sailors cut the line. Satellites, Sidearms: Top Toy Outlook By AILEEN SHODDY NEA Staff Correspondent NEW YORK —(NEA)— Space will be the big thing under 1958's Christmas trees. But in winning a child's fancy ad woo- ing a parent's purchase, it's a toss-up between outer space and the old - fashioned western variety. That's how the toy buyers, who anticipate no recession in their industry, see the Yuletide picture nine months in advance. They base their forecast on the 10 -day American Toy Fair in New York, where a highly flesh- ed young visitor neatly covered both sides Of the prediction. Confronted with. the vast crop of new toys, this lad glued an eye to a $14.95 educational tele- scope for a quick peek at -'the canals on the moon. And while he looked, he kept one hand clasped on his trusty six-shooter. It's simply that toys reflect current events, toy -maker Al Gil- bert Jr. says • in explaining the birth of new gadgets. "When' a new weapon, is . an - latest high `fashion chemise, 'Little Mother can sew it with a portable sewing machine. Dolls themselves are growing up, averaging about eight inches, and one firm has joined hands with a pattern company so the dolls' dresses are twins of their mistresses. The world in miniature even has a new home — a $10.95 frame affair that goes together 12 different ways to make such things as a zoo, corral, radar., tower or tent. Miniature juke boxes that light up, pegboard play tiles, building sets, a shooting gallery equipped with cork bullets, robot hands and an electric shaver for boys will keep the kids happy — for a while anyway. For little girls who have every- thing an Eeet Coast firm .has wrapped a doll carriage in mink for a $3,000 surprise. And if that doesn't keep them happy, there is a dynamiting set that "blows up everything harm- lessly." . But •behind the sparkle in a child's eye at getting a new toy EYES ON THE MOON — Two youngsters at the Toy Fair line up a junior -size telescope for a look at outer space. The 40 - power scope can track satellites. nOunced, it almost immediately becomes a toy. Children were bored with space helmets before half their parents ever found out what they were," he says. "When Sputnik went up, space stations, flying saucers, satellites and rockets immediately began to orbit on the toy horizon. Young Galileos will welcome a planetarium, charts telling them of the stars and games Chet reveal worlds on other planets. Spinning satellites,mobile rocket launchers and other missiles con- tinue the trend in scientific toys. But little girls who would rather spin a curl for dolly than a Sputnik aren't overlooked. They can set up a beauty parlor with a new set that. includes a running water tap and, a hair dryer that works. Topping the wee lady's coif-. Pure will be millinery that the little girls make from a kit. And if. there is a tear in the doll's • is the serious world of manu- facturing. Highly competitive, the men and women in the toy world feel secure in the thought that "chil- dren always want toys to play with." Even TV viewing can't cut into playtime, according to the presi- dent of the Toy Manufacturers Association. TV shows have cre- ated a demand for new toys, in fact. The toy manufacturers are en- thusiastic about 1958 sales, lanky Robert Muessel says. As associa- tion president he keeps a finger on the pulse of the one and a half billion dollar industry that employs 70,000 persons. "We are stepping up produc- tion in our South Bend plant," Muessel said indicating the in- dustry's reaction to the current recession. ' "I am sure other toy manufac- turers are, too." EYES ON TH'e EARTH — Junior can dress up like a mechanical man and pr•:snd he's just arrived from another planet in these "man of sisal" outfits previewed at the toy fair.