tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post341544595873486799..comments2024-03-28T22:25:23.698-05:00Comments on Western Fictioneers: THE DOCTOR'S BAG - IS THERE A SURGEON IN TOWN?Western Fictioneershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01683314579075461026noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-25539542673786458112014-08-30T02:43:43.485-05:002014-08-30T02:43:43.485-05:00Thanks, Jacquie. Surgery would be a last resort.Th...Thanks, Jacquie. Surgery would be a last resort.There were many treatments that were purported to work, yet most would have a strong placebic element and would depend upon nature expelling the stone. <br /><br />In about 1720 a woman called Joanna Stephens compounded a remedy made from baked egg-shells with a decoction of soap and other secret ingredients, with the specific purpose of dissolving kidney and bladder stones. Not surprisingly, people were willing to try anything that would keep them away from the surgeon’s knife. Her results were reported to be amazing.<br /><br />Her cause was championed by Dr David Hartley, who was later to become famous as the originator of the Associationist school of psychology. He suffered from recurrent bladder stones and experimented with the treatment. He wrote a series of papers explaining why eggs were used – (since the shells were made of calcium carbonate, which when heated would produce lime, which had been used for the treatment of stones since the days of the Roman writer Pliny) – and why soap was needed – (because the lime constipated and the soap would counter this.) He sincerely believed that Joanna’s secret cure would be of incredible benefit to the public. This cry was taken up by the Hon Edward Carteret, the Postmaster General. Soon other dignitaries attested to its value and Joanna was asked to reveal her secret which was obviously of ‘great importance to mankind.’ She agreed to do so, for the price of a mere five thousand pounds.<br /><br />A public subscription was started, which fell short of her fee, but she held firm. Parliament was petitioned and duly agreed to pay her. And as agreed she handed over her secret recipe, which was duly printed in The Gazette. The ingredients consisted of bird and snail shells, carrot seeds, soap, honey and various traditional herbs. <br /><br />Joanna took the money and lived comfortably and quietly ever after. Her wonder remedy gradually fell from favour, its magic having disappeared when the contents were no longer secret.<br />Keith Souterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15206349930107528691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-84777430243739921842014-08-29T23:48:24.099-05:002014-08-29T23:48:24.099-05:00Very interesting, Keith, as always! I love your c...Very interesting, Keith, as always! I love your columns and you always bring up something I'd never thought about. Those surgeries seem absolutely brutal. I wonder what the mortality rates were for surgery vs. no treatment at all. I hope they used lots of whatever painkiller was available. :shudder:Jacquie Rogershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17361793932364487636noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-31104230244036544672014-08-29T14:34:11.176-05:002014-08-29T14:34:11.176-05:00Thanks, Jerry. Yes, we are fortunate these days. Thanks, Jerry. Yes, we are fortunate these days. Keith Souterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15206349930107528691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-79237252628411215362014-08-29T12:46:20.572-05:002014-08-29T12:46:20.572-05:00Modern Medicine is great.
Congrats on the new Blac...Modern Medicine is great.<br />Congrats on the new Black Horse western<br />Jerry Jerry Guinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17074197803776713004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-34993438763033992002014-08-28T12:03:04.559-05:002014-08-28T12:03:04.559-05:00Thank you, Doris. Surgery is of course continually...Thank you, Doris. Surgery is of course continually changing. When I was a house surgeon, many moons ago, I remember assisting at operations that were considered routine. Thanks to drug treatments they are rarely done now (thinking here of the various operations for peptic ulcers.) Laparoscopic surgery has also transformed many operations, resulting in reduced complications and reduced recovery times. Such keyhole surgery has necessitated modern surgeons developing a different skill-set as they have to use different instruments. And now we are seeing the development of robotic surgery. Effectively, a surgeon may be able to operate on a patient in an operating theatre many, many miles away. The wonders of science!Keith Souterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15206349930107528691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-77736992622997367962014-08-28T11:55:14.450-05:002014-08-28T11:55:14.450-05:00You are so right, Vonn. Childbirth must be about t...You are so right, Vonn. Childbirth must be about top of the league table of pain. But it is generally better and more pain-relieved nowadays than in frontier days. Keith Souterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15206349930107528691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-53191449843105837192014-08-28T11:52:39.928-05:002014-08-28T11:52:39.928-05:00Thanks, Charlie. I always try to be careful about ...Thanks, Charlie. I always try to be careful about some of these topics and avoid being too lurid. <br /><br />And talking about tongue in cheek, you can get stones there too! Parotid calculi can be very painful. They block the parotid duct, the main salivary gland in the cheek. You can imagine how that can hurt when the saliva flows but cannot get out. (Sorry, didn't mean to get too lurid!)Keith Souterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15206349930107528691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-75334504697737115632014-08-28T11:48:46.014-05:002014-08-28T11:48:46.014-05:00Absolutely, Charlie. It was practising medicine an...Absolutely, Charlie. It was practising medicine and surgery by your fingertips. I very much enjoyed Dr Goodfellow's appearance in Road to Rimrock. And you are welcome, any time.Keith Souterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15206349930107528691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-35848366469099682172014-08-28T11:46:09.635-05:002014-08-28T11:46:09.635-05:00Thank you, Frank. I appreciate this kind words.Thank you, Frank. I appreciate this kind words.Keith Souterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15206349930107528691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-79338280870174773992014-08-28T11:45:29.621-05:002014-08-28T11:45:29.621-05:00Thanks, Jo. I am always in awe at the things that ...Thanks, Jo. I am always in awe at the things that doctors had to be prepared to do back then.Keith Souterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15206349930107528691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-72651720637695217772014-08-28T11:22:30.972-05:002014-08-28T11:22:30.972-05:00Terrifying and fascinating at the same time. Still...Terrifying and fascinating at the same time. Still, for those who were serious about helping those who were suffering I applaud their efforts to help. Thank you again for a useful post. <br /><br />Also, best ot you on the new books. DorisRenaissance Womenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09045401344374224512noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-26664335889300609542014-08-28T11:18:28.015-05:002014-08-28T11:18:28.015-05:00Yikes. I'll be seeing those surgical instrumen...Yikes. I'll be seeing those surgical instruments in my sleep.<br /><br />And, just think...passing kidney stones pales in comparison to childbirth.Vonn McKeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02271500340284234767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-6028693674889536272014-08-28T10:45:29.996-05:002014-08-28T10:45:29.996-05:00Dr. Keith,
Good Lord, Doc. I don't want to b...Dr. Keith,<br /><br />Good Lord, Doc. I don't want to be a doctor, I don't want to get sick, I don't want to have stones, and I don't necessarily want to know the gruesome details. But, if I have to learn, it is always a distinct but queasy pleasure, to learn from you.<br /><br />Again Keith, a more than informative post of a medical ailment, albeit of the most squeamish kind for us layman, who were naively living their lives happily unaware (until now) of these medical diseases of the past and present that can so grossly affect us.<br /><br />Actually I think most of us know about stones, but certainly not in this detail.<br /><br />(A tongue in cheek response) thank you?<br /><br />Charlie<br />Charlie Steelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16992330591519249699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-88465511309876027752014-08-28T10:04:45.260-05:002014-08-28T10:04:45.260-05:00Thank the good Lord for ultrasound. So many ways n...Thank the good Lord for ultrasound. So many ways nowadays to NOT cut into the body, or invade it minimally. But, as you know, the characters the Chuck Tyrell books bleed a lot. Further, in Road to Rimrock, Dr. Goodfellow puts in an appearance. Thanks for all the information, Keith, both on the blog and through the mails.<br />ChuckTyrellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02609200010767178944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-61795176806670147592014-08-28T08:02:30.910-05:002014-08-28T08:02:30.910-05:00I always love your posts, Keith. And your stories....I always love your posts, Keith. And your stories. Always good stuff, thanks.<br />Frank Roderusnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-20640337952738182392014-08-28T04:18:16.370-05:002014-08-28T04:18:16.370-05:00Interesting. :)
Interesting. :)<br />Jo Walpolehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13972318968316588965noreply@blogger.com