MARTYR TO SCIENCE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 516, 25 May 1909, Page 2

MARTYR TO SCIENCE.

A SURGEON WHO STAKES HIS LIFE \ ■;■;■ -ON A THEORY: ; :.; ;.,-. Everyone knows that it was through expert ' monting'upon bis own body that Sir James Y.; ,'-. Simpson discovorod the potency of chloroform..-.. ■ It appears this noble spirit ol Belf-sacrifioe is still alivo atnong our eminent doctors and ~ surgoous. The'latest addition,to the list of , martyrs is a young American, scientiet, Dr. : Niernian by. name, .who .was confident that / ; ' by a startling new ; method of cutting out V the large intestine ho had.discovered-a cure > for'appendicitis and kindred• troubles. . .'...." ;' Eatliußiost though ho was,' the doctor-did. ~ : . not care' to experiment on other human beings.: He was not a yivisectionist, and so. '■■'..!' . at first'was somewhat perplexed just how to demonstrate his theory. The more he studied - and pondered, the more he became obsessed with the idea that he was the means of .sal-;."... , ■ration for thousands of sufferers. .Of a., :. deeply earnest nature, tho , doctor was not •,'•■■ satisfied to lot.the matter rest. So thoroughly ■■'■':. did he beliovo in the virtues of'this opera- '■■'•. tion .that finally he determined to bo operated on himself; Thero ■ were, chances—he ', was fully aware of that.: But ho'had made up : his mind, and he; persuaded: himself that the ,";■ chance'was reduced to a minimum,"': '■■•. ■■/■"; ■■■■', ' '■' ■ Accordingly, ho went to a 'noted Burgeon, ■" - and tried, to'get him to perform the opera- /V; tiori.; .The latter was.not to bo convinced ,of '■.' the necessity for Buch a test, and while sym- ~ ;' patbising';warmly, with the theory and a'dmit-';■.: ting tho value of such an operation, he could':;': not be induced to cut up a normally healthy ' i man, even.in the interests ;o£ science... ■,:.:•'; • Dr. Nicrman, however, received enough on-' '\ : ' A coUragement from medical men and othors , ;: \ about, the: value of. bis theory to keep his. '.'■■'■ enthusiasm at bpiliiijg point. Finally,..early .'■, in January last ho.rosblyed to have his long- J: cherished plan'. carried ,6ut. : ' '■ Ho was urged ''' on to this courao by the , fact.that for some .' <; weekshehad been ill with an intestinal, dis-,.'.. order, and; while feeling that ho was not in ," : '.- a vory.bad. condition,, yet , ho desired;to.get :'']'■,. relief from.his dißcouifprt. -.It > - as.;just ■»•■■■' ';■ chance,. in,/his . own mind,■: : that' anything : '■',•. ~ serious \vas the matter with him at all, for ho was a fine); robust-looking fellowj six feet tall, with a ruddy.complexion,. and.general X excellent health; ■%;' \. M, 1 - ■:■, :•.;.: ■' ■■'.'■■]'..■''!) \ ■;■:'. '■ He finally persuaded a colleague to perr' form tho operation. Ho had operated in one ' somewhat similar: caeo, and the results had . ; > been do gratifying.that'ho had no fears.forV/.'■■■ the results of this .case.: Dr. ] Nicrman was , '. '• coiisumed withptho;desire'toiput'hiSfthGory,' .... ' which.' had; so startled '< and , interested the scientiflo worid,{:on..a : .practioak basis. ', i. .So it was- that- without a. word to' his family or his friends, but with , the utmost ' secrecy)- for •:: tion. '.• All:..the : assistants in, .the': case.,were , .j. pledged to> silence, 'and Dr. Nicrman person- '...,-. ally drew diagrams and oharte of how the--.," operation: was: to; be performed as, a, guide , to the physicians. Coolly .he : .entered." the ■ ... \ operating-r00m, , , a, voluntary, • sacrifice to i v.. • science,:knowingj of course, the possible.dan- ■' gor in all.operations, but glad:to.give up his life, if necessary, for the advanoomeat-of that, special science! which had-been, his life- : ,■' long study and his profession.' ■.'■.':.; r.',. Ho 'calmly, took the other. ■ with : a.sinilo.. ■■■.' Tho. doctors,then sot to work orihim and performed the operation, it isavorred, in a, highly successful manner. But unexpected ' ! developments ■ took place. -; A 6econd opera- . •;'", tion was .foutid to bo necessary. This was :, . followed.by a'.third,, and 'then by a , fourth. ~'■ : Stilly tlio patient' sank, and: in-a few days. V more he died, peacefully-by the-very-opera- -: ; .'. tion that .he had counted, upon ae perfectly harmless, and calculated to euro so many ills.