SURGERY AT SEA

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 69, 13 June 1927, Page 7

SURGERY AT SEA

OPERATIONS ON REMUERA PRAISE FOR DOCTOR Passengers and officers of the Remuera, which arrived yesterday from England, paid great tributes to Dr. W. J. H. Hislop for the way in which he performed two major operations during the voyage. But the doctor himself did not consider that he had done anything unusual. “On land,” he said, “we would never have thought much about it.” The passengers and officers also sang the praises of Miss L. Asten and Miss K. Shorter, who volunteered to act as nurses to the sick men, and took the day and night shifts in turn. The day before the ship reached Colon, Pariama, one of the third-class passengers, Mr. R. Burcliell, became seriously ill with appendicitis. An operation was necessary and no time was lost. A wash-house in the thirdclass quarters was immediately turned into an operating theatre and Dr. Hislop, assisted by the ship’s surgeon, Dr. D. Watson, performed the operation. “It made a splendid operating theatre,” said one of the ship’s officers. The next patient was the junior wireless operator, Mr. G. Hulbert. He contracted appendicitis on Friday, and became so ill that an operation was necessary. Again Dr. Hislop was called upon and an operation was again successfully performed. The services of Misses Asten and Shorter were once more available for the invalid. When the ship berthed yesterday the men were removed in the ambulance. Mr. Burchell is one of the 33 Church of England boys who came out with the Rev. Frank Harty, of Hamilton. Both patients are going along splendidly.