DESERT SURGERY

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2197, 9 July 1914, Page 8

DESERT SURGERY

TREPANNING KNOWN TO THE

BEDOUINS

..■; Reuter's.Krepreseiita-tive.'recently'/had |an inter view with Mr.; M.;- Hyltbn-Siin pson, who has just returned to England •from- a- scientific expedition' iii the geriair:liinterl|ind.,JfrV:Hyltoii-S.impsoii)-well knowiiVfor-his aii- : I thropological' investiVations oh the Coii|.jro, .has for some years'beeii! studying tho Bedouin •and-othcr tdbes of the desert.; He lias; alwaysVma'de a practice of liviiig-ailing tlie tribes.Vaiul; as a result is-;in close touch with.,' 7 the leading sheikhs. Accompanied travels; by'his. wife,;lie■■ has, kept-: off!'the beaten. 1 track, and has lived, in remote villages; as a truest of -the 'sheikh.; Hohasr.beeny .collecting, for' certain-, learned ' societies, information regarding /the-', practice /of: surgery .among .tho nomad tribes; of the I hinterland.' ; : Tlie'. Frenclvauthorities did 1 everything possible to, help; the-travel- . ilers,- who -were' never ' accompanied -. by Europeans. Mr.- Hyltoii-Simpson and his .wifeiiii;every case 'were treated -with 'the greatest courtesy iby tlie tribes. ; .'•/ ;

During his nrevious travels, Mr. Hyl-i ton-Simpson,.had heard much of; : the wonderful: skill of the tribal doctors, particularly in surgeryi VWhen he made inquiries, however, lie; found the sheikhs reluctant to give nny. information,/and they.even- denied 'the; existence of these' surgeons. On 'this expedition,; however; he came into touch with a friendly, Arab; doctor, who helped him ,to -a' meeting with, eight village ''surgeons./ He; .'lia3 brought back for the learned societies -a mass; of valuable information; v and-;, a large .collection, of. native surgical instruments. .-. /Those— consisting,-.of -.50 saws, : l '..the; crudest description, buVproye highly cffertive/ : .;.-;>." ■':'■'"■'. ---'" '/';:,■/

only training tbese tribal doctors obtai" is tKat handed ;pn from father fo son. .Very few are'able; to read or.write,' nnd;oiieivost'successful sur^poh;met'liv the traveller was' quite: unable"",to read. Trepanning is vei7coranirin,antr'is most; successfully performed.' That operations of this sort arcAffeijiittit is-diie to tli" fact that tlin ;countrt.is ypry_ stony; and atones are.frequently uspduvidisDutes. Tim use of anfanaesthetio.is .unltnown, (viVl is in fact regarded w'th cpnternrit. The neoole seem .impervious' to .pairn Mr. Hylton-Simp'pn Vpv' w''<V was opora f cd on for fij'+een dayr for'tlie reinoval of .a-p'"ce of skull smal]".r.th"'n a 'halfpenny: ..The li'oy recovered.'..''.The native doctors eln'm"to,''aye' oyer '• two lnmdred .' , ;'crires"-'.fof % ; yarioiis ; diseases. '■