We believe there is no question that a good part of the prevention of
anesthetic vomiting is in the preparation of the patient, including
a good cleaning out of the bowels without debilitating cathartics.
In other words, the vomiting is increased if the alimentary tract is
loaded, or if on the other hand it has been irritated to the extent of
losing its tone. Combining a careful preparation with a straight ether
anesthesia and osteopathic treatment to the neck and splanchnics we
have been able to eliminate any serious post-operative nausea. I do
not recall a case in the last few years that vomited on the following
day unless the condition for which they were operated was one that
essentially in itself would cause vomiting; for instance if the patient
had peritonitis and had been vomiting due to the toxic ileus. They
might even vomit after the abdomen had been opened. This could hardly
be called “post-operative” vomiting.
The improvement in our records in post-operative vomiting is in
proportion to our increased faith and use of the osteopathic treatment.
Time and again patients have told us that they had taken anesthetics
before and were sick from three to five days and even a week.
Invariably we have been able to surprise these patients by the fact
that they were sick less than a day.
The usual treatment with bismuth sub-nitrate, cerium oxylate, sour
wine and the other usual remedies were not used in any case or in any
amount. No drugs whatever were employed.