c. 



REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON SURGERY. 



In presenting the Report on Surgery, the committee beg leave to 

 state, that in entering upon their duties, they felt themselves under 

 some embarrassment from the terms in which those duties are de- 

 fined. By our regulations they are directed to prepare a report on 

 all the important improvements in the management of surgical dis- 

 eases effected in America during the year. Had they confined 

 themselves to the letter of this requisition, their task would have 

 been a light one. Neither brilliant discoveries, nor any extraordi- 

 nary improvements in the practice of surgery, have marked the past 

 year. Many suggestive changes indeed are to be found — they are 

 never failing — but all who devote themselves to the treatment of 

 disease are aware how few of these bear the test either of expe- 

 rience or examination. 



Though remarkable, as we have said, by no great discovery or 

 very important improvement, yet the past year gives evidence of 

 substantial progress, and in the estimation of your committee, this 

 progress is evinced in nothing so much as in the desire which is 

 everywhere shown to determine the actual value of operative pro- 

 cedures. On this account they have deemed it best to incorporate 

 in their report, along with a notice of the improvements which are 

 known to them to have either originated or been adopted in this 

 country within the year, such results of surgical operations when 

 done on a large scale, as they have been enabled to collect. In 

 pursuing this course, the report necessarily becomes somewhat re- 

 trospective, and though the committee by so doing, have not ob- 

 served the letter of the law, they, nevertheless, have endeavoured to 

 catch its spirit by seeking after materials from our own practitioners, 

 and dwelling chiefly on improvements not yet generally adopted 

 among us. 



In order to collect matter for this report, the committee issued a 

 circular letter, soliciting information in regard to some points of 



