Popular television paint a glorified image of doctors removing the seriousness of medical procedures. In the non-fiction short story, “The First Appendectomy,” William Nolen primarily aims to persuade the reader that real surgery is full of stress and high stakes decisions rather than this unrealistic view portrayed by movies. At the beginning of the story Nolen states, “Frankly I didn’t think that surgery was going to be too damn difficult” (Nolen 146). This shows that even Nolen held the views of surgery portrayed in cinemas. Then through his own experience, he persuades the reader that we’re wrong to hold this view. He informs the reader about the steps of the procedure and complications that may occur during a procedure. He states,
In a world of constant evolution, a new generation of students deserves a contemporary education that will prepare them both academically and emotionally for the rest of their life. Vincent Lam’s novel, Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures, exhibits many traits that are beneficial to a 4U English class. Firstly, one of the main characters has a tragic flaw that negatively changes his way of life, similar to Hamlet and Amir studied earlier in the course. The author also explores the duality of human nature through different characters, tying the novel to one of the central themes in the course. This collection of short stories also illustrates many events and emotions that can be applicable to a 4U student and their journey into post-secondary life. In conclusion, Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures is an ideal new addition to the 4U English curriculum.
Dr. Atul Gawande, a Harvard Medical School graduate and writer for The New Yorker, phenomenally illustrates the unknown side of healthcare professions in his book, Complications: A Surgeon’s Notes on an Imperfect Science. By exploring the ethical and analytical aspects of medicine while entertaining readers with relatable anecdotes, Gawande impresses on his audience the importance of recognizing the wonders of the healthcare field, as well as the fallibility of those within it.
Resection was a process that “involved cutting open the limb, sawing out the damaged bone, and then closing the incision” (Jones, 1). Resection allows the patient to keep his limbs but it requires a great ordeal of time and skill. This also contributed to the common practice of amputation during the war. But there were cases where surgeons did use this method. Terry J. Jones said in his NY Times article, “resections were used more frequently after surgeons learned that amputations had a much higher mortality rate” (Jones, 1). In another article by Corydon Ireland, it describes Mitchell Adam’s, a Harvard lecturer, grandfather who served as a volunteer surgeon during the Civil War. In the article, “Adams was not a champion of hasty amputations, but argued for excision and other limb-saving measures. And he describes the everyday pressures of a country practice in Framingham, Mass” (Ireland, 1). This meant that not all surgeons at the time only wanted to amputate but strived for alternate methods. This new knowledge shows that some surgeons were more dedicated to thinking about the well-being of their patients than others and this opens up to other possibilities that may have occurred during the war. This allows an image to come to mind of a surgeon diligently operating on a soldier with care and compassion. However, even though there may be many possibilities, we can’t truly know every event that occurs during a
Dr. Nolen's purpose for writing "The First Appendectomy," which speaks about his first execution of an appendectomy, was to inform. Dr. Nolen writes explains the procedures in performing an appendectomy and the possible complications that can and did occur during his first operation. Dr. Nolen informs readers that, “There are five layers of tissue the abdominal wall: skin, fat, fascia (a tough membranous tissue), muscle
In the book, Better by Atul Gawande, the author writes about his experience as a surgeon and his trials and deliberations along the road. The author splits up his books three ways, Part 1 is Diligence, Part 2 is Doing It Right, and Part 3 is Ingenuity. Each part takes a certain place and time in Gawande’s career. Each of the stories are breathtaking and very personal as he takes us through his eyes of what can only be described as impossible conditions and choosing the best outcome to better himself and the world.
Imagine for one moment that you are living in the 1800’s and are in need of medical help. During this time surgeons were known for the treating of wounds, amputations, and treatment of broken bone. Picture yourself lying on a dirty cot, or soiled table waiting for the surgeon to come in. When he finally enters he is wearing a bloody, dirty apron and informs you that the only option is to remove your limb. He calls in for help in holding you down and picks up a stained saw and prepares to remove your leg. Your mind flashes back to the numerous people who came before you and died shortly after having this procedure done. Will you die during the operation or like so many others survive only to succumb to fever and gangrene and die after? Thanks to a man named Joseph Lister your chances of survival are greater that those who came before.
Lewis Blackman was a fifteen year old boy whose death was triggered by the numerous errors caused by his healthcare professionals. He was suffering from a Pectus Excavatum, a non-life threatening condition. His mother, Helen Haskell, was attracted to an advertised surgery that boasted all the benefits of the procedure without proclaiming the risks. He checked into the Medical University of South Carolina Children’s Hospital on November 2nd, 2000, to undergo this “safe and minimally invasive” procedure. Complications arose following the surgery, but they were not communicated effectively within the nursing co...
On October 16th, 1846 the world of surgery changed forever. Taking place in the Ether Dome at Mass General Hospital was the surgical removal of a tumor in a man’s neck. The surgeon was the world renowned Doctor John Warren. Before Doctor Warren could slice into the man’s neck, William TJ Morten, a dentist, ran into the room. He presented a bag filled with a gas called Ether, and swore that he could erase all of the patient’s pain. He had tested this gas on himself, his dog, and his goldfish. Doctor John Warren gave him permission to try out this relatively untested gas on his patient. For the first time in surgical history, the Ether Dome stayed silent throughout the surgery. No screaming, no flailing, and no burly men needed to hold the patient down (Decoding The Void). Soon Doctors all over the world were using general anesthesia, and history was made.
This first form of surgery inspired many cultures and the Renaissance era because of the spark and curiosity of human anatomy, making the medical world today very advanced from years of anatomical studies and research. Not only did the new procedures and experiments quench their curiosity, it also healed people and made their lives more beneficial by raising their life
Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures examines the connections between the complications of medicine and one’s humanity. The author Vincent Lam does this by crafting a story that explains the emotional and distancing consequences of practicing medicine. Firstly, he achieves this by employing complex medical terminology that readers are unfamiliar with. This creates a feeling of detachment, which is something doctors themselves experience in their profession. Similarly, Lam employs a creative formatting to further to capture this feeling. In the short story “Contract Tracing,” he delivers the plot through files, transcripts and notes. This paints the conflict, reveals details, and adds a much-needed sense of urgency. In “Contract Tracing” by Vincent
During the operation both men show that they are not simple brutes. They are neither savage nor violent—they are peaceful. Selzer reminisces about the time that transpires after tying down his patient, “for over three hours the man and I have been alone in our devotion to the wound” (211). Selzer speaks of the situation as if the two men were cooperating in the emergency room. This shows that the surgery was peaceful after the initial struggle. No brute is willing to
Before you had time to unpack your bags, Dr. LeVann, the head of the hospital, sent you to have your appendix out . You were long overdue for sterilization. I worked at the teenagers’ cottage, Linden House. I remember a pretty 17-year-old patient who often told me of her plans to get married and have children. She didn’t know that she had been sterilized at 14. I hid my tears when she showed me her appendix scar.
Edmonson, James M., and John H. Warner. Dissection: Photographs of a Rite of Passage in American Medicine 1880-1930. New York: Blast, 2009. Print.
Consequently, YouTube documentaries on medicine and healing then became my logical next step in advancing my own learning. By binge-watching these videos, I’ve been introduced to the world of surgical procedures, such as rhinoplasty, gastric-bypass surgery, intraoperative brain mapping, and heart transplants. After viewing these stories, dissecting rats and cracking frog skulls in my Biology class seem awfully
Misery loves company, they say. That’s why the third Thursday of the month was bar night for all surgical personnel. Everyone was invited and came to do a little socializing among the nurses, doctors, and the technicians. What happens during these after hour delight sessions stayed within in the walls of the institution.