REMARKABLE SURGERY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 206, 20 August 1908, Page 4

REMARKABLE SURGERY.

New York, June 27. According to American physicians, the llockefeller Institute last week was the scene of epoch-making surgical operations, conducted by Dr. Sauerbruch, a (Jerman professor, in the presence of experts. Dr. Sauerbruch's object was to prove that by the use -of a big glass cabinet lie has solved the problem of operating upon the lungs, and probably paved the way to successful surgery for the cure of internal cancer, and possibly of tuberculosis where the lung tissue is affected, lie has shown, it is claimed, that by the use. of his cabinet the patient can breathe easily with the chest cavity open and without danger of collapse to the luugs. Hitherto the moment the lungs are exposed and are subjected to atmospheric pressure, they collapse, and the patient dies.

Dr. Sauerbruch's cabinet obviates this. It is made of glass and wood, 5 1 /.ft. square and about Oft. high. After ])r. Sauerbruch, his assistant, and a. nurse had taken their positions inside this cabinet, the subject was placed upon the operating table and his head illowod to project through a rubber, tight- | titling collar in the wall of the cabinet. The patient'* head wa» outside this cabinet. and the collar kept am* outside air from reaching the interior. J>v mea«is of a suction pump the air inside was then reduced to negative? pressure. This did not prevent those inside? the cabinet from breathing with ease, but it did prevent the collapse of the lungs when I lie chest cavity was opened. The lungs then were exposed to the same pressure as before, and the subject continued to breathe freely. Dr. Sauerbruch removed one lung oi a dog, and the animal j breathed as readily with the other lung. I while the entire lung action was exposed to gaze. Then a section of the oeMiphagu* or tube leading from tlu*. throat to the stomach was taken away from another dog to show how cancers could be removed. Other operations followed, and the doctors present expressed the opinion that they afforded a moxt valuable basis for Micci'ssful J operation on human beings. j