A FATAL MISTAKE IN AMERICA

Thames Star, Volume XVII, Issue 5231, 23 October 1885, Page 3

A FATAL MISTAKE IN AMERICA

The Cleveland (Ohio, U.S.A.) Press, o Feb. 23,1883, publishes ari acooont of a fatal nrgioal operation whioh has caused a great commotion among medical men throughout the whole country, Dr Tbayer, the most emisent surgeon in Cleveland, pronouncing it scandalous. It appears that a Mrs King had been suffering for many # years with some disease of the stomach which had resisted the treatment of all the physicians mattendanee. The disease commenced with a slight derangement of the digestion, with a poor appetite, followed by a peouliar indesonbable distress in the stomach, a feeling that has been described as a faint •• all gone'V sensation, a stioky dime collecting about the teeth, causing a disagreeable taste, especially in the morning. Tbii Munition was not removed by food, but on the contrary, it wa» increased. The eyes then became tinged with yellow, and were ■unkent After awhile the hands and feet became cold and stickj—a cold perspiration. There was a constant tired and languid feel ing. Then followed a dreadful nervousness, with gleomy forebodings. When rising suddenly there came a dizzy feeling like vertigo. After a time the bowels became . i. costive, so tha% it was difficult to procure a movement without a cathartic Soon followed a disposition to spit up the food after eating, sometimes in a sour fermented condition. All this derangement caused a terrible palpitation of the heart, so as to make the fceathing diffioult. Finally, the patient was unable to retain any food whatever, and there was constant pain in the abdomen. All pre■cribed remedies failing to give relief, a con•ullation was held, when it was decided that the patient had a cancer in the stomach, and in order to save the patient's life, an operation wac justifiable. Accordingly, on Feb. 22, 1883, the operation was performed by Dr Vance, in tbe presence of Dr Tuckerroan, Dr Perrier, Dr Arms, Dr Gordon, Dr Lapuer, KjdDrHallii»ell,of the Police Board. The operation consisted in lading open the cavity of the abdomen and exposing the stomach, fcotreli, liter, and pancreas. When this bad been done, an examination of the organs was made, but to the horror and dismay of the doctors, there was no cancer to be found. The patient did not have a cancer. "When too late, the medical men discovered that they had made a terrible mistake. They sewed the parts together and dressed the wound that they had made, but the poor woman sank from exhaustion, and died in a few hours. How sad it must be for the husband of this poor woman to know that his wife died from the effects of a surgical operation that ought never to have been performed. If this woman had taken tbe proper remedy for dyspeptia (for this is what the disease really was) she would have been living to-day. Seigels Curative Syrup, a remedy made expressly for dyspepsia or indigestion, has restored many such cases to perfect health after all other kinds of treatment have failed. Tbe evidence of its efficacy in curing this class of cases is too voluminous to be published here, but those who read the published evidence in favor of this dyspeptic remedy do not question its convincing nature; and the article has an extensive sale. Sold by all Chemists and Medicine Vendors throughout tbe world, and by the proprietors, A. J. White, Limited, 17, Farrington road, London; B.C.