Intestinal obstruction : when should operative measures be resorted to in intestinal obstruction? : being a part of the discussion on intestinal obstruction at the meeting of the Medical Society of the State of New York, February, 1888 / by Albert Vander Veer.

  • Vander Veer, A. (Albert), 1841-1929.
Date:
[1888]
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Intestinal obstruction : when should operative measures be resorted to in intestinal obstruction? : being a part of the discussion on intestinal obstruction at the meeting of the Medical Society of the State of New York, February, 1888 / by Albert Vander Veer. 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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    we sliould tlien consider intelligently and resolutely the chances of an operation. These cases should not be left until symptoms of shock have become too pronounced, or until a condition of actual collapse is present. But we are often obliged to wait until the border- land is crossed, and we are well on, it may be, into the danger- ous ground of heart-failure and allied conditions before the patient or friends will grant consent to surgical interference. VVe need now to have successful cases to teach the public the possibilities of what surgery can do in these heretofore fatal cases. As regards abdominal section and surgical treatment, a few brilliant results have been placed on record^ sufficient to teach us much from which we can gain great knowledge by careful study. From a study of these cases the surgeon has already learned that operations upon the organs within the abdomen must constitute in the future a part of his professional work; and that it becomes necessary for him to be prepared at any moment to render assistance in these cases. I desire to state most emphatically that this assistance must be rendered early. I consider that when a patient has met with sudden intestinal obstruction he occupies a position analagous to a shock of the vital system produced by a severe traumatism. Whatever our other engagements may be, they should yield in favor of the attention required by these patients. The work in their behalf must be done willingly and with the greatest of surgical skill. There must be, when once the case has been decided proper for operation, no procrastination.