DEAN & THE DOCTORS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1870, 2 October 1913, Page 8

DEAN & THE DOCTORS.

"GILT-EDGED SURGERY."

PROS AND CONS OF OPERATIONS. (By Telegraph —Special Correspondent.)

Auckland, October 1. Alleged methods of some modern Burgeons camo under he view by Dean Darby at Hamilton on Sunday when lie made a vigorous appeal to tho congrega-t-ion to guard against operations. Tho substanco of his remarks was reported yesterday, and from tlieso it appears that Dean Darby stated that the way to tho operating theatre was paved with gold, the whole thing being what might bo termed "gilt-edged surgery." Several of tho loading surgeons in Auckland who were asked yesterday to express an opinion on Dean Darby's sermon had a ready roply to his indictment. Hia remarks upon the dispar-, ity between tho methods of to-day and those of 20 years ago were answered by the statement that the value of surgical treatment had been tremendously increased by tho advancement of - the science in that period. Only palliative treatment by'medicine was possible 20 years ago for diseases which can now he cured by surgical 'methods. Attention was directed particularly to the treatment of diseases of women, especially cancer, which was the worst scourgo of tho sex. The development of this diseaso is so, insidiou3 that-, in,, somo countries—notably Germany—campaigns are being conducted \vith u view to persuading every women who has the slightest suspicion that sho is suffering from tho disease to obtain reliable advice. _ In Gormany the assistance of midwives lias been enlisted in giving instruction to women regarding the earliest symptoms of tho disease which are usually so.innocent that many cases aro far_ advanced before medical assistance is sought. Cancer specialists throughout the world are agreed that only by early and radical operation,can tho disease be cured, and in cancer of tho stomach or intestines, for instance, nn< exact diagnosis cannot be mado except by operation. Tho greatest obstaclo in tho. fi.ght against this diseaso is the popular idea that it-is painful. Tho fact that when a caiicor becomes gainful it is almost certainly incurable.

The New Surgery. The risks of surgery "by modern methods were described during tlio interview as .negligible. A fow years ago «v doctor who proposed to explore patient's body in the manner that is practised to-day would have been considered a madman, but now the operation has no .terrors, so great have been the advances in tlio use. of antiseptics and anaesthetics. It is so safo that its temporary inconvenience is counted as •fully compensated by the exact diagnosis which it permits. An important factor ill the success of modern surgery is the knowledge which it has given of the stages of,diseases, Twenty years ago many internal diseases wore known only by tho researches of the post mortem table. I Step by step the surgeon has advanced until he'can actually examine any internal organ of tho "body without tear of tlio consequence, • and it is this ability to' make a ■ positive diagnosis by direct observation that is claimed as tho triumph of surgery in its, effort, to, save human lives and to' ■alleviate-tho sufferings of mankind.

Dean's ,Reply to Electors. Tlijs morning a "Star" representative got into communication by telephone with Dean Darby: . Questioned regarding the criticism of his sermon the Dean said that he still maintained that his remarks wore perfectly justified. In fact, he had received congratulations irom all quarters, and was satisfied ■ that there were a great many people who shared, his opinions upon this very important subject. His outspokenness was not the outcome of a sudden in?['{ration. On the contrary, he had for n long time past been convinced of tho feed tor warning his people against tlie • 'operation fad." His remarks wero not intended to bo taken in Hho nature ot generalities. . Ho had numbers of actual cases, with all tho necessary (lata, which could bo quoted in confirmation. .come of these cases, in fact, it would be almost impossible to publish, ito , held - most emphatically that there' were too many operations, and tiiat tho surgeon s, knifo was becoming the panacea for all It had been argued that_ an operation' was a short cut to knowledge. He maintained that m, lvas als . p an admission of ignorance, ifi I V " I,V ln the doctors handled the human, frame, added' the Dean, reminded him of children, with a sealed .. hox. iho children coukl not see inside the box, and so mado a holo in it, but tho box oneo 'cut open was never the tame. In big sermon on Sunday tho { , n , as^ c ' l! ! 3 congregation to hark - ■ r °,, 0 sl ! n P'e remedies used by their fathers, to remember that prevention was better tjian cure, and that I* P lll dont uso of . these simplo remedies would sickness, and tho surgeon from tho door..