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Reply by Dr. Harris
To the Editors:
Dammersehlaf a.nd Demerol Re:
Dammerschlaf (Twilight Sleep)
Under the false headline "Pudendal Block Anesthesia in Obstetrics" (vol. 68, pp. 969·973, 1954), your author describes a twilight sleep with supplementary local anesth~sia. He has fallen for the manufacturer's trick linking DEMEROL to DAMMERsehlaf by its very sound. The original German twilight sleep of two generations ago was induced by a combination of scopolamine and morphine, potentiating their soporific and analgesic qualities, while counteracting each other's toxicity. Demerol simply adds to the toxicity of scopolamine, as they both belong chemically to the same family, but it is inferior to morphine in soporific and analgesic effects. If your author had honestly returned to the German formula which I have sucessfully used for the last 30 years, he would have needed NO local anesthesia at all. ALFRED
RosSKAMM Ross, M.D., L.R.C.S.
BELFAST, NEW YORK JAN.
20, 1955
Reply by Dr. Harris To the Ed·itors: I am very glad to be allowed to explain my position, for there is obviously a misinterpretation of my intent. As stated in the title of my article, ''Pudendal Block Anesthesia in Obstetrics,'' I was explaining to our local society my experiences with a simple type of anesthesia~not analgesia. In the body of the article I did make the following statement about the use of analgesic agents:
''It is not the purpose of this paper to review long lists of drugs which have been used to relieve pain and distress during labor. . . . From a broad viewpoint then, modern obstetric analgesia leaves little to be desired . . . . '' 'l'his statement was meant to be all inclusive, and certainly would not exclude ''Dam· merschlaf" (twilight sleep). I am quite confident that the original German formula must possess many virtues, as evidenced by a strong exponent after these many years of experience. However, I am, as stated, happy with the combination that I use at present, but have an open mind on the subject and am quite willing to change when I am convinced that it is for the benefit of my patients. So. it is not a matter of "honesty," but rather one of preference. I can assure you that I did not confuse "Dammerschlaf" with "Demerol" although there is a slight phonic similarity. My series is now well over one thousand cases and I am more enthusiastic than ever. 1211 AVENUE 0 LUBBOCK, TEXAS MARCH
7, 1955
Dammersehlaf a.nd Demerol Re:
Dammerschlaf (Twilight Sleep)
Under the false headline "Pudendal Block Anesthesia in Obstetrics" (vol. 68, pp. 969·973, 1954), your author describes a twilight sleep with supplementary local anesth~sia. He has fallen for the manufacturer's trick linking DEMEROL to DAMMERsehlaf by its very sound. The original German twilight sleep of two generations ago was induced by a combination of scopolamine and morphine, potentiating their soporific and analgesic qualities, while counteracting each other's toxicity. Demerol simply adds to the toxicity of scopolamine, as they both belong chemically to the same family, but it is inferior to morphine in soporific and analgesic effects. If your author had honestly returned to the German formula which I have sucessfully used for the last 30 years, he would have needed NO local anesthesia at all. ALFRED
RosSKAMM Ross, M.D., L.R.C.S.
BELFAST, NEW YORK JAN.
20, 1955
Reply by Dr. Harris To the Ed·itors: I am very glad to be allowed to explain my position, for there is obviously a misinterpretation of my intent. As stated in the title of my article, ''Pudendal Block Anesthesia in Obstetrics,'' I was explaining to our local society my experiences with a simple type of anesthesia~not analgesia. In the body of the article I did make the following statement about the use of analgesic agents:
''It is not the purpose of this paper to review long lists of drugs which have been used to relieve pain and distress during labor. . . . From a broad viewpoint then, modern obstetric analgesia leaves little to be desired . . . . '' 'l'his statement was meant to be all inclusive, and certainly would not exclude ''Dam· merschlaf" (twilight sleep). I am quite confident that the original German formula must possess many virtues, as evidenced by a strong exponent after these many years of experience. However, I am, as stated, happy with the combination that I use at present, but have an open mind on the subject and am quite willing to change when I am convinced that it is for the benefit of my patients. So. it is not a matter of "honesty," but rather one of preference. I can assure you that I did not confuse "Dammerschlaf" with "Demerol" although there is a slight phonic similarity. My series is now well over one thousand cases and I am more enthusiastic than ever. 1211 AVENUE 0 LUBBOCK, TEXAS MARCH
7, 1955