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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Seaforth News, 1950-07-06, Page 3Surgery Not Like It Used To Be Operations today are not like they were a century ago, when more than half the •viethtts died of shock within a few Imre. Many ' ho survived succumbed later fn.= gangrene, and ultimately only two in tell recovered. Uf these, otte - usually .ended up a permanent ner- vous wreck through pain and shock. John of Gaddesden, who was physician to. Edward II, in a book cf advice to surgeons of his period, writes: "The requisite, fora doctor are an ability to lie in a subtle ratan- nor, to show an outward honesty, and to kill with audacity," Chances of recovery were so soul that an- other surgeon wrote: "Let hint (the patient) prepare his soule as a ready sacrifice to the Lard by earnest prayer; craving mercie and help tmfainedlie." Apart from strong drink there. were no anaesthetics. And when a limb Was amputated, the stump was thrust into boiling oil ur ruaste:1 with red hot irons before bandages were tied on. Rabbits' fur mixed with aloes was sometimes applied to stop bleeding. No wonder gan- grene followed! Ilow different today. Your fent- ily doctor lays the history of your case before the surgeon who is thus armed 'with every relevant detail about you. As he sterilizes his hands, eases thein into rubber gloves and selects his instruments, he has be- fore him a clear picture not only of your trouble but of any weaknesses you may have inherited, You often hear it said: "Sur- geons don't care, They're always cutting people up; they think about as much of you as a butcher does a joint," Don't believe that, A butcher works with portions of lifeless car- case; a surgeon on a live, delicate instrument pulsating with life. No callous man, however skilled, eves became a successful surgeon. • When you're on the table the surgeon ceases to think of you as rich or poor; as successful or a failure, You are then his most important patient. He will use all his skill to make you well again. Ile works in the presence of assis- tants, nurses, an anaesthetist, and sometimes visiting doctors and stu- dents—all highly critical people. And now, for the first time. an operation has been televised! How different from eighty years ago when the surgeon was usually a bewhiskered gentleman attired its a frock coat. He made no prepara- tion except to exchange this for a blood-stained smock, Often he did not bother to wash his hands, work- ed with unboiled instruments, and while operating shook a mixture of germs and snuff from his beard all over the patient. Today, not only the instruments sterilized, but masks, rubber boots and gloves are worn. The three main risks of an op- eration are: sepsis, shock and loss of blood, Sepsis, or blood poisoning, is avoided partly by the precautions outlined. But doctors also found that wounds are difficult to heal if they remain open too long. So rap- id—not careless—operating is the result. Dr. Lawrence. proved .by experi- ment that touch time is lost in reach- ing 'for and handing back instru- ments. He designed special tables which enable the surgeon's hands to fall easily on the instruments need- ed. Surgeons also spend many hours "operating" on lumps of beef wrap- ped in silk, using tither hand to make rapid, accurate incisions, and have found that by this method not only has operating time been re- duced by more than a third, but that their patients heal more rapidly. Where loss of blood is unavoid- able, it is countered by transfusion, and. hospitals maintain stocks of every type of blood. A great ad- vance, too, is the radio knife which ensures virtually bloodless surgery, Attached to one end is a current - tarrying cable. As the blade severs, Pigeons That Play Tunes, Ping- Pong. Match Colors And Count Off Seconds if 1)r, 13. 1". Skinner of Harvard will let yott into his psychoiogical laboratory, you will find some pigeons playing ping-pong, as likely as not, or pecking out on a seven - keyed -piano such simple tunes as "Over the Ferree Is Out, Boys" and "Take Me Out to the Ball Game." The pigeons know no more about music than the trained circus seals that manage to blow a few bars of "My Country 'Tis of Thee" on a specially constructed mouth organ to recceive a fish as a reward. The pigeons are used by Dr. Skinner to find out the role of re- ward or punishment in perforating tasks. It may be that when ire has proceeded far enough, Dr, Skinner will know whether or not, for ex- ample, a child can be trained more effectively by encouraging good be- havior or by punishing misbehavior, writes Waldemar Kaempffert in the New York Times, So far as the experiments have gone it seems that reward is more effective than punishment, To test this tentative conclusion, Dr. Skin- ner has taught his pigeons not only to tvorie for food, but also to co- operate in matching colors and playing ping-pong. Pigeons and Humans All this is mere classroom work for the benefit of students. Dr. Skinner's real purpose is to discover new ways of studying human be- havior in various situations. Pigeons turn out to be ideal sub- jects, because they live as long as fifteen years (rats only two or three years), because they have a reaction time comparable to that of human beings, because they have good color vision and, lastly, because they are less susceptible to disease than M031. laboratory animals. In all of Dr. Skinner's experi- ments, the purpose is to persuade a pigeon to earn a reward for doing something. The reward is always a chance to peek at a bit of food for a few seconds. In some experiments, pigeons must learn to co-operate or to compete to Win the privilege of pecking at the food, A pigeon behaves very much like a small boy who is promised ten cents if he cleans up the back yard, Whoa they learn that reward fol- lows incentive and performance, pigeons will work their heads off. One pigeon pecked away over 35,000 tines in five !tours for one- third of an ounce of food. To teach the advantage of coe operation in obtaining food, Dr. Skinner pputa Itis pigeons in a box with a glass partition in the middle. A pigeon is placed on each side of the glass. At the rear of the box is a pastel with three pairs of buttons in a vertical row, one row On either side of the glass partition. To receive food both pigeons must simultaneously strilce match- ing buttons in the separated cages, When this is done, a light flashes, a- buzzer sounds and the door to the food chute opens. Only oue pair of food -producing buttons will work each time, but the two birds have little difficulty in exploring the pairs together and selecting the cor- rect pair, Colors Distinguished A small brown and yellow pigeon has demonstrated that pigeons cats distinguish colors. In this case the apparatus is a semi -circular cage with bulbs its a box at the top to project a ge'ceu, blue, red or yellow light, The bird faces four stall squares on which are printed "YELLOW," "GREEN," "BLUE" and "RED" When a red light is turned on in the box, the bird will peel: at the sign which reads "RED", whereupon the food door at the bottom of the panel opens and he is rewarded with a bit of grain. Another light then automati- cally glows. If it is blue, the "BLUE" sign receives a peck. Pro- perly trained birds are able to peck at the pertinent sign as fast as the lights are turned on, So it is with playing a tune on a piano of seven keys. Pigeons can also be taught to compete, For this purpose Dr. Skinner has them play a modified game of ping -gong, The court is about two feet square and it has no net, One pigeon tries to bat the ball with his beak past Itis opponent. Rallies sometimes go to three or Pigeon Ping-Pong —The pigeons pictured here are playing ping-pong, They're pros, too, because they only do it for gain. The lairds, part of flock belonging to Physclaology Prof, B. F. Skinner, also play tunes on a toy piano, push buttons to get food, tell time and differentiate between changing colors—like traffic lights. Dr, Skinner uses the pigeons to discover the re- lationship between human behavior and the prospect of reward for work. Pigeons bat table tennis ball back and forth with their beaks, as at top. \\'hen bird at left missed the hall, which rolled into trough in front of him, it automatically opened feeding sta- tion at right. Lower picture shows winner at right, collecting his reward of. grain. four shots but most of the shots are "aces." The winner is rewarded with food after each shot. Pigeons in some experiments de- velop an ability to "tell time." If an apparatus will pay off only ten seconds after a signalthey learn to wait, killing time by turtling around once or twice, hopping from one foot to another, or pecking at other parts of the box. Like human beings, pigeons seen, to be superstitious, if you can call it that. They tend to repeat any action that was successful in the past in producing food, Some may go through complicated move- mettts, just as a poker player may walk around his chair for luck The routine will be repeated even though it has no effect on the de- livery of food. the nerve ends are "cooked" and automatically sterilized; the natural proteins are clotted and dried. The radio knife reduces bleeding to a minintunt, There are two kinds of shock: mental and physical. The surgeon does all he can to minimize phy- sical shock. And mental shock is almost a tiring of the past. The pati- ent is wheeled into the anaesthetic icon where an expert, while con- versing naturally to him, gees him a gentle jab in the upper arm and sends hint off to sleep. He sees nothing of knives or fearsome instruments when wheeled into the operating theatre, where the anaesthetist administers a fur- ther dose of suitable artaethetic, suf- ficient to keep !tint under for the entire operation—possibly a small affair lasting minutes, or a brain operation which sometimes takes eight hours. The patient knows nothing about it He wakes to find himself back in bed. Few people realize how deft a surgeon is with his fingers. Ile not only cuts with accuracy, but sut- ures (sews) with skill. Ile is far removed from the ordinary ham- fisted male trying to sew on a but- ton, Needlework is part of his training and despite the rubber gloves that encase his hands, he is an artist with silk, thread, nylon, catgut, tine wire, stainless steel and platinum. He must sew flesh, or fat which does not hold stitches easily. He must knit bones. He must sew speedily and tie knots with his gloved left 1' — By Harold Arnett BENCH LEVEL WORK. SENGN "G SCREW: I SHOVEL PROTECTION A SHOVEL USED WHERE THERE ISA CONCRETE FLOORRABR�RlASiOPROTECTED OFR MED colCRETE BY TWO FLAT IRON PIECES RIVETED TO THE BOTTOM. Wil I iii i;4ssfiilj:i('is1.i1. lc,lliiililli I`,Vr�t9, I, :I,.Ijllllui�� LEVEL BENCH OR TABLE, IF ONE OR MORE LEGS ARE UNEQUAL. IN LENGTH, WITH LAG SCREWS.TURN SCREW INTO LOWER END OF LEG UNTIL BENCH 15 ADJUSTED,AHOLE FOR THE SCREW 1S DRILLED FIRST. DON'T USE SCREWS TOO LARGE AS THEY WILL SPLIT THE WOOD. lilfilGili' PPP if RIVETED Honors Author — This new stamp honoring the great French satirical writer Fran- cois Rabelais is being issued by the French postal system. The stamp is dark red and has a value of 12 francs—about 3K cents, hand, or with two pairs of forceps. Inside the body space is restricted and often he catutot see what he does. He works then by that extra sense which all good surgeons de- velop. To ensure your comfort and safe- ty surgeons spend endless hours sewing—in gloved hands—handker- chiefs together. They practise tying knots with the left hand, and with instruments, 1f ever you are in hospital, take a good look at the surgeon's long, strong—seldom pointed—sensitive fingers, which do their bit --every bit as much as his brain --to bring you back to health. Every surgeon roust be able to do the glover's stitch, running stitch, mattress and cobbler stitches, hid- den stitches for facial surgery, stitches that go over one edge and under the other, and sutures that look like the stitches on a quilt. The cutting out of diseased or- gans: the stitching up of lacerated walls—these are only part of the surgeon's many problems, His job begins when your family doctor interviews hint. It ends only when you are fit again. Giant Atomic Tulips A giant tulip, Live inches in height and tour inches wide, with a stent no thicker than a man's finger, is the sensation of Lisse, center of the Netherlands bulb -growing industry. This giant tulip and other flowers are the offspring of mother bulbs that were bombarded with X-rays or with neutron by Dr. Willem E. de Mol, director of the Laoratory for Ornamental Plant Research in Amsterdam. After years of experimentation with irradiation, Dr. De Mol has produced tulips with flowers that vary in form from large smooth cups to small blooms with fringes like those of a Chinese fan -dancer. These last are variations brought about by treating the mother bulb, a white and flame -red flower, with X-rays, The first experimental plant of this kind was achieved two years ago; now there are five plants , each worth about 1,000 guilders. The mother bulb of the atomic tulip, the Utopia, was subjected to bombardment with neutrons. The result was a scarlet tulip five incites long, with a diameter of four inches. It is a splendid flower, though the stalk is no thicker than a man's ager. The leaves resemble those of a succulent plant. Tulip growers are particularly interested in the fact that ten years after X-ray treatment •new variations still appear, proof of the powerful effect of irradiation on tulip bulbs. Geneticists are not as- tonished. They have long known that X-rays will bring fortis new species of fruit flits by the hundred and also new species of plants. Even after the first new acceptable species or variety of a plant ap- pears, much cross -breeding is neces- sary before an acceptable com- mercial producct is obtained. It takes from twenty to twenty-five years, for exxample, to prepare a new 'tulip for the market. HEALTH HINT—Diabetes runs in families. Members of families in which there is diabetes both on tate mother's side and the father's side are the ones who should be especially careful to avoid over- weight. The Perfect Loaf? What is the ideal loaf of bread— and bow is it made? Because he believes he has found the secret, 76 -year-old Lord Teviot has been advocating the claims of the whole- meal loaf (made his way) its the House of Lords. And at his home, Adbury House, Newbury, Berks., a few days later, Lord Teviot dem- onstrated the right way to make the loaf, which, be declares, is 'his recipe for health and long life. Here's the recipe. Take 2 lb. of wholemeal flour, 2 oz. of yeast, 2 tablespoonfuls of salt and one pint of water. Mix and knead well. Then bake for exactly one hour. Says stealthy -looking Lord Tev- iot: "My digestion is perfect and I've had only four teeth out in all my life .Much of the nutriment is taken out of the modern loaf. Give the children 100 per cent, bread and you would rid the country of half its stomach and dental troubles." He points out that although the wholemeal loaf costs more than the white loaf, it is more economical because it is still fresh after a week and none has to be thrown away. More Courtesy In Night Driving Now that wanner weather has ar• rived; more and more drivers will be taking to the highways in the even- ing. We hope they will remember that a road is not a one-way affair, but two-way, with cars coating from each direction. often at speeds ex- ceeding the legal limit. In the daytime, even when traffic is running beyond the speed limit, there isn't too much danger so long as the driver has his mind on his driving and his eyes on the road. In the evening and at night added consideration must be given to the matter of glaring headlights. A re- cent study has found that "at speeds of fifty miles an hour a driver blinded by glaring headlights often ,'%11,1 t, (, a much as 150 feet before .f 0't .,pr's sufficiently to distinguish a Pedestrian or object on the highway." City and town people are often serious offenders in neglecting to diet their lights on passing other cars, becacuse they are accustomed to drive with parking lights on in the city9uthe open road they forget! alley ey are using their brigltts ,and -Vence disregard the ordinary courtesy of using passing lights. All driw'ers are entitled to their driving pleasure, but at the settle time the individual driver must rementharaithat a little bit of courtesy on hie 'fs t't will stake night driving safer for hitnself and others. HOW TO GUARD AGAINST POLIO As Polio began its seasonal up- swing, there are indications that last year's epidemic might have marked a turning point in the his- tory of the long tear against that dread scourge. Experts think that advances in research may, before longk, break much of polio's power. But while science girds for the nal assault on tate great crippler, POLIO IS STILL DANGER- OUS. Out of long experience doc- tors, hospitals and health depart- ments suggest these basic precau- tions for protecting yourself and family against Infantile Paralysis. better known as polio. 1. Avoid crowds. especially con- tact with strangers who may carry the infection. Keep children with their own friends. 2. Don't get over -tired. Fatigue increases the danger of infection, stakes results more serious. 3. Keep front getting chilled. Swimming is safe if it is done in non -polluted waters, for not too long a time. Don't remain in wet clothes. 4. ile clean. Wash hands before eating; keep food covered, well re- frigerated. 5. Be alert to polio's early symp- toms so you can call your doctor promptly. Symptoms include head- aches, sore throat, nausea. fever, muscle stiffness. A Clip To Remember—Peter :Edson, correspondent for NEA Service and this newspaper, got a shock when he had his hair cut by. Lee Dynes, a hotel barber. Using a technique he learned from a Frenchman, Dynes did the complete job with an old- fashioned. straight -edged non -safety razor. Reported Edson "There was no bloodshed," JITTER 1 N EVSR sce FRED At' eRtsAePAer. No's ALWAYS HIDDEN ncapND NI9 NEWSPAPER. GMDRNINO H011EV weer s Naw? By Arthus' Pointer