SURGERY IN THE PATIENT OVER SEVENTY *

T H E problem facing the patient over 70 who suffers from a condition requiring surgical treatment so often is not (as the relatives think) whether he can stand the operation as whether he can survive without it. Men and women between the ages of 60 and 70 already make up such a large part of surgical practice that they are no longer considered to present a special prob-lem. There is still considerable reluctance, however, on the part of the average physician as well as the layman to advise or accept surgery for those who have passed the traditional span of three-score-and-ten. The increase in the average age of population brought about by the higher standard of living and the virtual conquest of many infectious diseases brings to physicians each year a greater number of persons over 70 for emergency or elective surgical treatment. Indeed, the variety of conditions presented by this group of patients is no less than that of any other group. Because of the many serious conditions which may complicate the primary surgical indication owing to the greater opportunity to have accumulate