History of medical practice in Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

IOtolaryngology 897through this tube until the external opening closes." It is possible that inthis he was describing what later became the practice of intubation.In an article entitled "The Earl) History of Intubation of the Larynxin Chicago" (Soc. Med. Hist. Bull., Oct. i, 1911) Dr. F. E. Waxham, thenliving in Denver, said that the first intubation performed iu Chicago andthe first done in private practice was performed by him on Api il 19, iSS-.He stated that Dr. O'Dwyer of New York had been able to save his infantsin the Foundling Asylum from death by suffocation(diphtheria) but thatthey later died of toxemia or by extension to the respiratory tract, and thathe had saved only one of the first fifty. In Chicago, four of the first elevenwere saved, and eventually Dr. Waxham was able to save over 300 children.Most of his patients were seen almost in extremis and recovery from "membranouscroup," as diphtheria was then called, was the exception in thosedays. His instruments were crude, but they represented the patient study,skill and genius of O'Dwyer. Dr. Waxham had never seen an intubationperformed. He wrote: "In those busy days life was hardly worth living asfar as any comfort, rest or pleasure was concerned." He often had eightor ten patients at a time and had to go to all sides of the city. Often aftera long drive he had to return to replace a tube that had been coughedout, and he drove from Grand Boulevard to Western Avenue three timesin one night to replace one. His patients were referred to him through thecourtesy of other physicians; many of them were dead on arrival, andothers were moribund. The above paper by Waxham isa classic and deservesspecial emphasis. It is one of the earliest and best accounts of intubationfor diphtheria. It includes the experiences of doctors during the horseand buggy days and years before the discovery of antitoxin.In 1887, E. Fletcher Ingals, then Professor of Laryngology, Rush MedicalCollege; Professor of Diseases of the Throat and Chest, Woman's MedicalCollege, Chicago, presented a report of a special committee on Diseases ofthe Throat and Nose. (Trans. 111. State Med. Soc, p. 182.) Here he discussedat length "Epistaxis" which he considered the effort of nature to relieveplethora. R. Tilley took issue and considered it "as an evidence of a weakpoint in the nose, which should be sought out and remedied."In 1887 Dr. Seth S. Bishop of Chicago, described an operative technic formastoid disease. (Trans. 111. State Med. Soc, 1887, p. 194.) Apparently thiswas not performed unless external swelling appeared. Three-fourths of hiscases were cured and the other one-fourth had benefitted by surgery.pointed out that Nature's method of disposing of diseased bone was slowand uncertain and did not prevent intracranial complications. In histechnic the wound was closed, to which Dr. R. Tilley voiced his objectionsin discussion.He