Medicine: Now That I Have Operated

For nine months Dr. Theodor Herr's appendix had been nudging and twingeing him. Recently the brisk, 37-year-old German surgeon, of Hamdorf, near Kiel, decided it was time to have it out. To find out how his own patients felt, he injected Novocaine and operated on himself. Unlike most surgeons in self-operations, Herr used no mirrors, merely had an assistant hand him his instruments as he worked (from a half-reclining position). Next day he was out of bed, attending to his patients.

Dr. Herr, who is a bit unsympathetic with the vocally suffering, had proved one of his theories: "Now that I have...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!