In response to high mortality in area hospitals, surgery was restricted to emergency procedures during a five-week period  Mortality in these hospitals was found to have fallen by nearly one-third during the period  The number of deaths rose again when elective surgery (surgery that can be postponed) was resumed
It can be concluded that, before the five-week period, the risks of elective surgery had been incurred unnecessarily often in the area
Elective surgery is, in general, less risky than is emergency surgery because the conditions requiring or indicating surgery are often less severe.