OPERATIONS TO MUSIC

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 138, 7 December 1929, Page 20

OPERATIONS TO MUSIC

PATIENTS LISTEN-IN

Patients may .now listen-in, to wireless broadcast -while' they are "under--going a" surgical"bporation.. . . ' This striking innoyktion iii inodbrn surgery, which, was described,at tho : ru,cent Pan-Pacific"; Surgical "Congress, in Honolulu,, was commented on by Sir W. Arbutlmot .Lane,-,-, the distinguished surgeon, . ,-'.■•'.., ... In certain major operations spinal .imaesthesians .given to the patient. A hypodermic needle on the spine: renders ■the.- trunk :-.of the; .'body- insensible. ■"■•THq patient is fully- eoriseious,"' but ■quite; free from pain "fluriiig the .operation. : Ho can, however; see what is hap-: polling, and hear the surgical, sounds, and the usual method of saving him from the upsetting effects of this con.sciousnoss .is to ..'him sufficient gas to send him to slocp;-cory if: that-.would; bcldango'rousptb'.:.piit' a-f-silk^Jiundker-.cJbiej:':, oycr..his, _ ey.es,.' ;_ .-and.-.'.; let.-. : tlte anaesthetist distract.': his ■:■ attention- -h\* -talking." "■".:■ ■;•■ ? . ■ "".■ -t'-v : . _ ■-- ■ Tho new method is described as being "much preferable to the talking anaesthetist.'" ■ Headphones are placed over the patient's ears, and. he is able to.listen-in.until the-flperatioji,is finished.' "He fhus iiot'only lias'hi's mind ■ districted.. <?ompletely lr and. ..pleasantly from,,tho. opcration,-,but.,in'.^adition, h(s' ears arc closed;- to;tfie sounds ~o£- the. operating theatre. - ■ Thedoetor at whose hospital the experiment has been carried out speaks highly of its success. - -Sir-'AV. Arbuthnot' Lane-was '■'greatly interested, .wlieii. a.. "Paily . Express'.^ repfesentativb •'doscilbbi. itliis American innovation to him." -■■"*• •■'-: ■ ";«■«; "I had never ..heard : of it before,'-' he s;ud,. "but.'.it seems to me to bean excellent plan,-.'and.l- should like to see it,tried over here. I am'not-operatiiig at. Guy's Hospital any longer, so' I eoiild iw't suggest its. introduction myself, but .I'.fecl. sure "that .when; surgeqiis;. in:'-.tjjis; country .hear, about it they, will.iri-troduce' it.'. "' -. ' , '. . ..--"If-.it really: is .the'-obvious solution of how to:.d-istr,apt. : .the "patient"'* attention, I should-think it would, be iplcaßantcr than-either -going .to or being talked to by the anaesthetist. I should be most interested to see it tried here."