THE SURGEON'S KNIFE IN CONSUMPTION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXIII, Issue 31, 8 February 1901, Page 4

THE SURGEON'S KNIFE IN CONSUMPTION.

CJkk -..fth'- ir...;,;. ureachd soourgru of maiilii :d i, p«;njontry con.ainptLn, 'lt brings no :ii:;.>uii; muhf.n*.<jia after » brief interval . f » tin, but, as it were kills ivs victim by I .cars. It 13 torture nob or:ly t > rh<-- pst-ienr, bub to all around him. Tin>rv is more pitiful sight tliar. In. o:' a ioved one, gem: a''y it t, ,■.. ;.-.- when life should bo opening up [■■■; :,rigbttst prosp;e', slowly fsditiir w.y, y*t buoyed up ■witb Inipt: v i f ,:•.: ,:y until thg Ifst. I'orhapj uc d;.-.. as; has been uore Btudiul by uif-t'i;.,', ui.n, but Euceess bai been sai!il!, In 'ho earlier at-igoi thr ail'tct':d iuiig csvi'ies any yipld to treatment s»id h:a!, but, there is >dwnys a tendency 'o k. return of thv info:tioij, and i , :i, ktrr stages it miy be said to b> itx-U'sv-le. Fro.n t : ms to tune 5 ' certain eur<M " have been aniHsunciiii, hi;, fc'uuih some ur-y hf.ve alleviated uria and e»en prolonged Wo, they Luv cot stood the test, of time. It i: uut *u easy matter to mudiciily tr. at iuttraal tissue i-.fecLed •with iuurju-s. There are p'euty of which will kill microbes, but they may do mors barm thin g<ol in effect upon healthy tissue. The latest hoj e of the consumptive appear* to lie «i"h the surgeon rather than the physician- Some time ago Protestor M olle, Demoastrfttir in Surgery at the University o* Msdrid, conducted aoni9 aurgical experiments upon anim&'s coffering from tuberculosis, anl ha published ihe results for the benefit of the medicil proffssion. He had not dared, however, to extend his t:rts to to the human being. His treatise came umior the aotiee of Signora Ferry, wife of Viee-Admiral Ferry, of the Spanish navy, who was in such an advanced sUgo of consumption as to be pronounced incurable, and she desire*! to ho experimented upon, expressing her 1 rain o;s to take all the ri»k involved. At first Professor Molle be-iit.ittd, but at her earnest entreaty gavn way. Diagnosis had shown that the whole 0! the left lung was deceased. In the presence of five of the m«3t prominent medical men of Spain, who .-ranted him in the operation, the Professor opened the chest, pleura, aiid mng, ani thorough by cleaned all the tuberculous cavities with an r.ntisrptic to'ution and then cauterised tbem. It is stated that Hignora Fjrry made a rapid recovery, but thn operation is coo recent to enable nay definite conclusion as to i's ptrta.neat le-sults to be arrived at. But as a«i eutirely new dspanure in the treatment of tuberculous d'sease, it is worthy if note, and we may be sure the Signora'a caEe will be watched with the interest by thq medirai '.rofesHoo.