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Story
April 18, 1882
Las Vegas Daily Gazette
Las Vegas, San Miguel County, New Mexico
What is this article about?
The Chicago Tribune reports cases of surgeons leaving sponges, forceps, and nearly a ring inside patients post-operation, stressing the need to count instruments to avoid such mishaps, with humorous exaggeration.
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OCR Quality
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Excellent
Full Text
The Dangers of Careless Surgery.
The Chicago Tribune says: It is related that one distinguished surgeon lately left a sponge, and another a pair of forceps, in the cavity after an abdominal operation. Yet another would have left a large seal ring in the same place but for a gentle reminder from a fellow practitioner. It seems hard that surgeons should run the awful risk of losing jewelry and instruments by sewing them up in the vitals of their patients. It is due to them to say, however, that the rule is to carefully count the sponges and instruments during the progress of such operations. This is well. It would be a dreadful matter, for instance, if a man should have a couple of chairs or a house and lot grafted into him while he was being treated for a gunshot wound.
The Chicago Tribune says: It is related that one distinguished surgeon lately left a sponge, and another a pair of forceps, in the cavity after an abdominal operation. Yet another would have left a large seal ring in the same place but for a gentle reminder from a fellow practitioner. It seems hard that surgeons should run the awful risk of losing jewelry and instruments by sewing them up in the vitals of their patients. It is due to them to say, however, that the rule is to carefully count the sponges and instruments during the progress of such operations. This is well. It would be a dreadful matter, for instance, if a man should have a couple of chairs or a house and lot grafted into him while he was being treated for a gunshot wound.
What sub-type of article is it?
Medical Curiosity
Curiosity
What themes does it cover?
Misfortune
Moral Virtue
What keywords are associated?
Surgical Errors
Left Behind Items
Abdominal Operation
Counting Instruments
Medical Negligence
Story Details
Story Details
Surgeons accidentally left a sponge, forceps, and nearly a seal ring inside patients during abdominal operations; standard practice is to count items to prevent such errors.