The Magic Tonsillectomy or Armstrong's Voodoo Science?

[Bob Prudhomme]

Just to make sure everyone understands Parker's position here.

He says that the "quack Philben," who somehow later became chief of staff of Dallas Memorial Hospital, somehow faked a tonsillectomy so well that "Marguerite honestly believed the tonsils had been removed."

Let's separate (and straighten out) my speculation from the facts shall we?

I never claimed he faked a tonsillectomy. I listed it as a possibility which I didn't particular find all that appealing. The other - yes - is speculation that I think is plausible.

Now put that aside and consider the FACTS that this speculation is based upon.

Fact One: Marguerite listed Philben on an insurance application as having performed a tonsillectomy on Lee.

Fact Two: Philben could not LEGALLY have performed such an operation in 1945.

Fact Three: There are no medical records showing that Lee ever had a tonsillectomy - despite such records being readily available for the mastoidectomy.

Fact Four: Whatever hospitals Philben worked in from the late '70s when Osteopathy became semi-legitimate due to a severe MD shortage is totally irrelevant to the situation in 1945.

Now compare those facts with your "facts"... which amounts to Marguerite would have known her son had a tonsillectomy because of his cut throat. And just so I am not accused of falsely summarizing your quote, here it is: "A mother doesn't know when her young son's throat has been cut open?"

Please note that I have been admonished by an admin for categorizing your "fact" as moronic. So instead, I will simply allow readers to make up there own minds. Or perhaps you can provide a cite for the tonsils being removed through an incision in the throat? That would teach me a lesson, wouldn't it, Jim?

Just think of the possibilities. You could cite the missing throat scar as another pillar in H & L Fortress!!!!

Some people just don't know when they are licked.