DOCTORS AND THE KNIFE

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2562, 24 July 1909, Page 6

DOCTORS AND THE KNIFE

DECAY OP THE PHYSICIAN

The Mayor of Wellington (Dr A. Iv. Newman), speaking in a professional capacity at the meeting of the St. John Ambulance Society, Wellington, last week, declared himself a foe of tho knife in medical practice. He thought there was too much use of the knife, and surgery had been developed largely at the expense of medicine. “A physician,” he said, with feeling, “is a decaying thing, dying out like the Maoris. Surgeons everywhere are driving out physicians.” How was it to be explained? Humorously, tho doctor declared: If a man takes out a knife and cuts into another man, that man always ever after felt a profound respect for the man of the knife. Consequently, the surgeon was cutting the physician all to pieces. In fifty or sixty years’ time the physician would bo extinct, and every medical man *a surgeon. Mr J. G. W. Aitken followed with tho comment of a layman. The best doctor was •a man who combined the highest capacities both of the physician and the surgeon. He would suggest to the medical profession, however, that of late years they had given more attention to surgery than they had to medicine. Ho hoiied they would try to effect remedies by means of medicine instead of by means of surgery. “I hope,” said the speaker, in conclusion, “that no one will take my appendix. I don’t want to part with mine. I don’t want to- undergo an operation.” The Mayor reassured Mr Aitken with the words: “I am sure if Mr Aitken had only had his appendix removed he would like t-o have another for a second operation. Tho above opinions were brought by a Wellington “Post” .representative under the notice of a prominent surgeon, who agreed to a large extent with the remarks of Dr Newman. There were a great number of diseases, not thought of many years ago, which could he cured by the knife, and that only. In all cases where an operation was performed, it was because that medium afforded the quickest andsatest road from danger, and perhaps death. In the .old days, too, patients suffering from a malady difficult to diagnose were left to droop gradually, when the surgeon might have saved them and tneii health. Appendicitis was advanced as a typical malady which could be cured only on the o]perating table. As to his opinion on the assertions or an English journal that people were growing to prefer operations to mere medicine, it was pointed out that in. isolated cases patients displayed a londness for the knife. A. case was mentioned where one had insisted upon, an operation, which lie (the speaker) refused to perform, as it was unnecessary. Such a preference was inexplicable. To the opinion expressed above that in fifty, or sixty years’ time physicians would bo extinct, and every medical man a surgeon, it was replied that that was absurd. At that time physicians would be much further on. than they were to-day. To-day they knew only whv certain, drugs and serums worked; in sixty years’ time they would be enlightened as, to how they work —an essential thing.