UNNECESSARY OPERATIONS

To the Editor:  —Will you permit a humble medical and surgical practitioner, whose chief means of keeping even at the rear of the medical procession is through reading the better medical journals, to express her opinion as to one of the reasons why unnecessary operations are advised so frequently —fear of being considered out of date by fellow practitioners, and a conscientious desire to do all that may be done for the relief of patients. Had we the courage of our convictions, many of us of humble attainments would decline to operate or advise operation in debatable cases, but our literature is so emphatic that we fear to obtrude our opinion.The remedy for this lies with our investigators, who should be less hasty in writing conclusions that may have to be revised.Appendectomy for indefinite symptoms, tonsillectomy for remote affections, and intraspinal and intraventricular medication are mentioned merely to