History of medical practice in Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

226 History of Medical Practice in Illinoisparts of chloroform, alcohol and ether, and if everything goes favorably Ileave the stopper in the ether bottle." He stated further that "the time tocommence anesthesia during labor is when without it the patient will unnecessarilysuffer and the time to withdraw is when without it she will notsuffer." The danger to the child from deep anesthesia given to the motherwas brought out by discussion of his paper. Dr. Herriott's viewpoint onanesthesia could well be adopted by all obstetricians at the present withgreat benefit to all concerned.The decade 1880-1890 is the period in which specialists in obstetricsand gynecology were gaining more recognition by virtue of their trainingand experience. Dr. A. Reeves Jackson in 1881 made a plea to the othermembers of the Illinois State Medical Society to recognize these men andcooperate with them by calling on them for help in difficult cases. 14 Hecited the recognition and use by gynecologists ofthe use of the uterine sound for exploring the uterine cavity,silver wire sutures in closure of a vesicovaginal fistula,the vaginal speculum,the use ofand the first ovariotomyperformed by Dr. Ephriam McDowell. He also pointed out thatoperations for rupture of the perineum, prolapse of the uterus and deeplacerations of the cervix were being performed by prominent Americangynecologists.Contemporary specialists abroad at this time included such men asSimpson, Hegar, Spigelberg and Pehan, and in the United States there wereDewees, Meigs, Hodge, Emmet, Thomas and Atlee. It was the teachings ofthese men brought to the western prairies and put into practice that dominatedthe medical thinking of the period.It was during this time that cancer was being treated by Chian turpentineand flowers of sulfur taken by mouth (the first cancer cure?). It isinteresting to note that this remedy was properly sponsored and advocatedby Dr. Clay of Victoria Hospital, Manchester, England. It was later triedout by the London Cancer Hospital and by the medical society of one ofthe large English cities and was pronounced worthless. However, both theBritish public and the profession were so impressed by the alleged beneficialresults of its use that the price skyrocketed and Chian turpentine wassold for four times its weight in silver. It soon became rare. Dr. EdmundAndrews of Chicago saw several new cancer cases a week and used thistreatment in 100 cases, many of which were operated upon. He reportedsome which became obviously better after taking the drug, but themajority progressed rapidly to a fatal end. He concluded that every cancerin a proper location should be excised early and the remedy taken afterwards.As the result of his experience, he advocated that all neglected14 It is now mandatory in many parts of Illinois to carry out these suggestions made byDr. Jackson so many years ago.