Ovarian tumors, and remarks on abdominal surgery : with the result of 50 cases / by Edward Borck.

  • Mathias Adolph Edward Borck
Date:
1887
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Ovarian tumors, and remarks on abdominal surgery : with the result of 50 cases / by Edward Borck. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    —15— Instead of the ordinary surgeon’s needle I use tlie Fig 4 Tliev are made of serving maclune needles. The eye is in the anterior instead of the posterior part as you see in 'the drawing and perfectly smooth, one long ligature is all that is required. I had little handles put 1 . o n m i n e, saves the trouble and annoyance of a needle holder. Mess. A. M. Leslie & Co., No. 204 North BroadAvay, of this city, manufacture and keep the various sizes on hand. These are the instruments necessary for the operation. Have them all arranged conveniently upon a small table; see yourself that everthino- is in perfect order and nothing missing, keep everything out of sight oAhe patient. Before your patient is brought in, arrange and designate the duties of each of your assistants, tell each of them what you expect him to do, and to do that and nothing else; place your main a'ssistant on the left of the patient; one for the chloroform, who must be aware of his re- sponsible duty. Intrust your sponges but to one person only, count them out to him, and before closing the abdomen, demand them'all; see also that none of the instruments are missing, and allow no one to do anything, especially to put his hand into the abdomen, except you a.sk him to do so. One ready for any emergency that may happen. Do not talk, keep quiet and tranquill; have no lookers-on. And let me tell you, see that you have the very best of assistants, one superior to yourself is preferable, at least equal; your main assistant should never be inferior to yourself if possible. For one who knows and is acquainted with the operation will render you better service; be not afraid of him who has had the exxmrience for he was once there where you now begin, and he will act forbearinglj^ Avith you. But avoid the one who is seliish, one AA’ho thinks he knoAvs it all. An operator Avho for his own vanity’s sake never emploj-s any but ignorant nurses or young student’s or others Avhom he can blindfold, and Avho will not be aware of and are not able to obseiwe his mistakes so that he may shine and appear to be a great light, Avill never gain a great success. Another point of great importance is to pay your assistants and pay thfin as liberal as j'ou possibly can; cases of charity excepted; you occupy their time, their time is as A-aluable as yours. Only by paying your assistants you can obtain good and skilled ones; you are then under no obligations to them and they like to assist you and are alAvays ready, and hardly ever disappoint you. I can obtain scores of Doctors to come and assist me, many come that are anxious to see me operate. But AAhat good Avill it do me and my patient to be annoyed by idle lookers on aaIio Avill ask a hundred and one questions to no pur])ose. What good are those that offer their assistance Avithout compensation, telling you they Avill come, but Avhen the time aiTives they put in no appearance, excuse is, “an Obstetric case on hand,” or they come in a hurry half-an-hour behind time, the operation hardly completed off they start, one after another. I knoAv of a surgeon in this city Avho operated Avith such assistants, and before the operation Avas com- pleted, he and the nurse Avere the only ones left to take care of the patient, to ligature the blood-vessels and finish the toilet.