230 THE INVISIBLE WORLD 



member to defend a suit brought against him for 

 mal-practice, trebles the temptation. Big fee, 

 safety, free defense, Why not slash? They do 

 slash! Operations are surprisingly frequent. In 

 more than two-thirds of the cases, no doubt, noth- 

 ing ails the appendix. The knife is rampant after 

 the fee! 



Every layman should know how to diagnose the 

 appendicitis. It is about as simple as it is to know 

 when one has a cold. The organ being situated, as 

 before stated, low down on the right side of the 

 abdomen, near the surface skin, when inflamed, the 

 inflammation soon shows at the surface. The skin 

 is red, and sensitive, sometimes attended with 

 swelling, always with sharp pains. When these 

 symptoms are all present, it is Appendicitis. 

 When they are absent, or absent except the 

 pains, the appendix is all right. The pain comes 

 from something else from pleurisy, colic, con- 

 stipation, or some other difficulty. 



So easily diagnosed, the surgeon has no excuse 

 for doing a wrong job. Whenever he cuts out a 

 normal appendix, he should prosecute his own 

 knife. It knows better! Better curb ambition 

 with a twisted bit. Reckless slashing slashes pub- 

 lic confidence. 



Especially be cautious with the aged. The cali- 

 ber of the appendix in early life begins to contract 

 and close up. At the age of thirty -five, in a quarter 

 of the human race its cavity is completely closed 

 against the cavity of the caecum. At forty-five, its 



