"Operation is the only procedure by which we can be certain of
curing our patient. It is true that some cases do recover from an
attack of appendicitis without an operation, but the percentage of
those that recover from the disease is almost nil."

"The main reason, however, why the appendix should be removed as
soon as possible is that no one can state positively what course the
disease is taking."

"Although a strong advocate of the removal of the appendix in almost
every case of inflammation of that organ, yet there are a few
conditions under which I prefer to delay operation. When we find a
patient with persistent vomiting, a leaky skin, a rapid, running
pulse, a diffuse peritonitis and signs of collapse, I believe that
operative interference is contraindicated. Under these conditions an
operation would invariably be followed by loss of life. Ice to the
abdomen, calomel pushed to free purgation, a small fly-blister below
the ensiform cartilage, nutritious enemata, with stimulants in the
form of whiskey or champagne, and hypodermics of strychnine, give a
more hopeful prospect than would operation. When the peritonitis has
subsided and the constitutional condition warrants, operation may be
performed with a much better prognosis."

The symptoms described by Dr. Deaver are those of collapse,
following perforation, diffuse peritonitis to be followed soon by
death, or of narcotism--morphine paralysis, soon to be described _in
extenso _when we come to treatment.

If the doctor ever had a patient presenting those symptoms and the