📘 Std 8 – English | Chapter 4.2: Revolutionary Steps in Surgery
Maharashtra State Board – Textbook Solutions
✨ About the Lesson
This lesson explains the development of surgery from ancient times to modern robotic surgery. It highlights the contributions of great surgeons like Sushruta, Dr. Williams, Harvey Cushing, and the role of modern technology in saving lives.
📖 IN BETWEEN THE LESSON
Q1. Why did doctors begin to use anaesthesia?
Answer:
Doctors began to use anaesthesia to reduce pain during surgery. It helped patients remain unconscious while doctors removed or repaired unhealthy body parts, making operations painless.
Q2. Why had cardiac surgery not developed earlier?
Answer:
Cardiac surgery had not developed earlier because doctors lacked modern medical equipment, techniques, and proper knowledge needed to operate on the heart safely.
Q3. What had the patient James Cornish suffered from?
Answer:
James Cornish had suffered from a serious knife wound. The knife had cut an artery less than an inch from his heart and punctured the pericardium, the sac around the heart.
Q4. What kind of cardiac surgery is done nowadays?
Answer:
Nowadays, open-heart surgery is performed. It helps repair or replace heart valves and correct heart defects. With modern care, patients recover faster than earlier times.
Q5. Who do neurosurgeons operate upon and on which body parts?
Answer:
Neurosurgeons operate on patients of all ages who suffer from brain or nerve-related problems. They perform surgeries on the brain, spinal cord, and nerves.
Q6. What is Da Vinci?
Answer:
Da Vinci is the world’s most advanced robotic surgical system, used to perform complex surgeries with great precision.
Q7. What are the advantages of robotic surgery?
Answer:
Robotic surgery requires smaller incisions, causes less pain, reduces recovery time, and uses advanced instruments. The robot performs surgery under the surgeon’s full control, avoiding major side effects of open surgery.
📝 ENGLISH WORKSHOP
1️⃣ Read the lesson and name the following:
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| (a) The first surgeon to perform operations | Sushruta |
| (b) Anaesthetics used from mid 19th century | Ether and Chloroform |
| (c) The first successful cardiac surgeon | Dr. Williams |
| (d) A sac around the heart | Pericardium |
| (e) The father of modern neurosurgery | Harvey Cushing |
| (f) World’s most advanced surgical robot | Da Vinci |
2️⃣ Match the terms in Column ‘A’ with Column ‘B’:
| A | B |
|---|---|
| Tooth extraction | Removing a decayed tooth |
| Cardiac | Related to the heart |
| Sedative | Substance that makes a person sleep |
| Tumour | An extra growth in the body |
| Incision | A cut made for surgery |
| Console | A control unit for robotic surgery |
| 3-D | Having length, breadth and depth |
| Cushing clip | A device to stop blood loss in neurosurgery |
3️⃣ Web Diagram – Words Related to Surgery
Answer
4️⃣ Write 3–4 lines on the following:
(a) Sushruta Samhita
Sushruta Samhita is an ancient Sanskrit medical text. It gives detailed information about surgery and surgical instruments. Sushruta is considered the first surgeon in history.
(b) First Cardiac Surgery
The first successful cardiac surgery was performed by Dr. Williams. He operated on a patient named James Cornish, who had a severe knife injury near the heart. The surgery saved the patient’s life.
(c) First Neurosurgeon
Harvey Cushing is known as the father of modern neurosurgery. He developed techniques to operate on the brain and reduced death rates in brain surgeries. He also invented the Cushing clip.
(d) Robotic Surgery
Robotic surgery allows surgeons to perform complex operations with precision. It uses tiny instruments and provides a 3-D view of the surgical area. It reduces pain and speeds up recovery.
🔤 Language Study
5️⃣ Degrees of Comparison
| Positive | Comparative | Superlative |
|---|---|---|
| old | older | oldest |
| healthy | healthier | healthiest |
| near | nearer | nearest |
| fine | finer | finest |
| early | earlier | earliest |
| small | smaller | smallest |
| fast | faster | fastest |
| high | higher | highest |
(B) Long Adjectives – Use more and most
| Positive | Comparative | Superlative |
|---|---|---|
| ancient | more ancient | most ancient |
| special | more special | most special |
| significant | more significant | most significant |
| advanced | more advanced | most advanced |
| accurate | more accurate | most accurate |
6️⃣ Join the sentences using coordinators:
(a) There was a lack of technology, so major surgery could not develop for centuries.
(b) Cardiac surgery was tried in the past, but patients did not survive.
(c) He places his fingers into the master controls and operates all four arms of the Da Vinci.
(d) Open-heart surgery can help repair heart valves and replace them.
(e) Heart patients were treated with sedatives, but they did not survive.
(f) These procedures are performed through small incisions, so patients experience many benefits.
7️⃣ Imaginary Telephonic Conversation
Secretary: Good morning! XYZ Clinic. How may I help you?
You: Good morning! I would like to take an appointment with the doctor. I am not feeling well.
Secretary: The doctor is busy today. Can you come tomorrow?
You: It is urgent. Could I get today’s appointment, please?
Secretary: Yes, you may come at 4:30 p.m.
You: Thank you very much.
Secretary: You’re welcome. Take care.
🌟 Key Message of the Lesson
Advancement in medical science and technology has made surgery safer, quicker, and more effective, saving millions of lives.