Show Dr Brady Says Statistics Prove Tonsillectomy Of Minor Value to Children By William Brady Brads MD M.D. Some twenty years ago when the thc ever ready operators were still rushing groups of children to the operating roo room m for the 4 x atrocity known t tonsillectomy as s r rI I 1 was trying to whoop up a little 4 pop popular indignation tion Lion about it Im I'm IJ afraid I didn't it stir many parents parents par par- enough to toj save their children children chil chil- dren from the Dr Brady atrocity However I had the satisfaction satisfaction sat sat- I of receiving some letters from doctors who had ceased performing performing per per- I I forming tonsillectomy and they they i were unanimous in the observation observation tion that children h seemed to get along better without tonsillectomy m my than after the operation j Then I studied the stat statistics sties Gathered over ver many years by Dr Albert D. D Kaiser of Rochester N. N Y by Y-by by far the most mant data available a and today today and for the life of me I cant can't see how I any anyone one can en conclude that school schoolchildren schoolchildren schoolchildren children are benefited in any wa wayby way wayby by tonsillectomy Ask Reader Support In 1932 Dr Kaisers Kaiser's book Childrens Childrens Childrens Chil drens dren's Tonsils In and Out Olit was published Lippencott for Physicians physicians clans and laymen If II you have access to this book perhaps in your public library do study the thc I figures and then tell me where the statistics tabulated by Dr Kaiser show I am wrong or I where they show that tonsillectomy tonsillectomy I tomy justifies the risk to the thc life of the child r For tonsillectomy I urge two alternatives First the comparatively comparatively safe procedure known as asI I instantaneously slicing off the obstructing portion of tonsil by means of the ton ton- ton ton-I This is entirely adequate adequate ade ade- adequate quate for relief of obstruction on I II nose breathing which is all that thatis I is necessary in most cases of enlarged enlarged enlarged en en- I tonsils subjects the patient patient pa pa- tient to no greater risk and no greater pain and no greater postoperative postoperative postoperative post post- operative discomfort than the extraction ex ex- extraction traction of a tooth It may be bedone bedone done in most instances after application application application ap ap- ap- ap of a local anesthetic to the thc tonsils and in the doctors doctor's office without more confinement than is necessary for extraction of a tooth The other alternative for tonsillectomy tonsillectomy ton is diathermy electro diathermy electro electro- coagulation of the infected area This is quite as effective treatment treatment treat treat- ment for infected tonsils and infinitely infinitely infinitely in in- finitely safer than the major operation known as my It is done in a series of sittings sittings sittings sit sit- tings in the doctors doctor's office without without with with- out detaining the patient for more than half an ail hour usually only 10 minutes or so from ordinary ordinary nary activities and without making making making mak mak- ing the throat sore enough to prevent prevent pre pre- vent ent the patient from taking regular regular regular reg reg- ular meals Explains Violent Language The rile principal drawback about is that the technique is much more difficult than the technique of tonsillectomy to lomy tomy my and so only a few physicians physicians I dans are qualified to give e this modern treatment I cannot emphasize emphasize em em- sufficiently that if C I had infected tonsils and in the opinion opinion ion of a good doctor some focal I infection in consequence Id I'd I avoid tonsillectomy as one would I I a mad dog and submit only to But shucks this mad dog thing is not in order here here after after all I take no stock in mad dogs if that means rabies pronounced ray ray- bi bt ease with the accent on the ray I use the violent language in deference to the editorial principles principles prin prin- of the Journal of the American American American Amer Amer- ican Medical l Association In that comic weekly one of the Pooh Pooh- Bahs Bah's yes men under the influence influence ence of a large dose of synthetic rancor snarled that tonsil diathermy diathermy diathermy dia dia- should be avoided as one would avoid a mad dog I dare daresay daresay daresay say the little man who made this remarkable remark never saw either tonsil diathermy or a mad dog But the mad dog thing pleased the Bah Poo-Bah no end lie He rushed it into print in such haste that he entirely overlooked the still more remarkable remark the yes man made in the next paragraph to wit that tonsil diathermy elec elec- is a boon in cases where surgical extirpation would be too great a risk Lacking in Courage c Thus inadvertently the Big Noise of the pus pusillanimous medical medical medical medi medi- cal organization condemned and approved tonsil diathermy in one breath breath and and the rank and file of the association never has had the courage to negate or revoke any word or act acl of or the lately deposed I dictator since he consented to withdraw on payment of a huge ransom euphemistically reported to the sucker members who pay it as a pension I hope perhaps vainly that this item may come through union union- It should help a lot of doctors doctors doctors doc doc- tors and a lot of laymen to Understand understand un Un- I what ails American medicine QUESTIONS AND ANI ANSWERS Varicose Veins I am am 29 years old and seem to tobe tobe tobe be developing eloping varicose veins veins Would it be advisable for me to substitute running for walking walkin to improve circulation My ly mother thinks women should not run after they have developed DO Answer Yes and include any other light games or exercises you like Send stamped self self- addressed envelope for pamphlet let Varicose Veins and Varicose Ulcer to The Salt Lake Tribune Tribune- Telegram Home Service Bureau Salt Lake Cit City Utah I Had a wart under my eye I scratched it and it bled for quite a while It doesn't seem to heal I The doctor gave me a salve which didn't help REL Answer Answer By By all means let the doctor inject a local anesthetic j i and remove the wart by excision I |