Epoch-making books in British surgery. VI, Johnson's Ambrose Parey / by Sir D'Arcy Power, K.B.E., F.S.A.
- Power, D'Arcy, Sir, 1855-1941
- Date:
- 1928
Licence: In copyright
Credit: Epoch-making books in British surgery. VI, Johnson's Ambrose Parey / by Sir D'Arcy Power, K.B.E., F.S.A. Source: Wellcome Collection.
8/14 (page 184)
![second edition of Pare’s Surgery did not appear until 1649, and by that time the gallant and industrious translator had been dead for five years. The following extracts show the value of the information given and the vigour of the translation. Pare’s surgical training was almost entirely gained in camps, but he was able to adjust his teaching to the requirements of surgeons in civil practice. Thus, speaking of the reduction of a dislocated shoulder he says : “ The patient must be layd with his backe on the ground upon a Cover-lid or Mat, and a clew of yarne or leathern-ball stuffed with tow or cotton, of such bignesse as may serve to fill up the cavitie must be put under his arm-pit, that so the bone may straight-wayes the more easily be forced by the heele into its cavitie. Then let the Surgeon sit beside him, even over against the luxated shoulder ; and if his right shoulder be luxated, he shall put his right heele to the ball which filled up the armpit ; but if the left, then the left heele. Then let him forthwith draw towards him the Patients arme, taking hold thereof with both his hands and at the same instant of time strongly presse the arme-pit with his heele. Whilst this is in doing one shall stand at the Patients backe, who shall lift up his shoulder with a towell, or some such thing fitted for that purpose, and also with his heele presse downe the top of the shoulder-blade ; another also shall sit on the other side of the Patient, who, holding him, shall hinder him from stirring this way or that way at the necessary extension in setting it.” He further teaches that the head of the humerus may be displaced into the armpit, outwards or forwards. Pare draws attention to the metastatic abscesses which occur in pyaemia, a complication which does not seem to have been noticed previously. He says, speaking by the mouth of Johnson : “In these late civill warres the wounds which were for their quantity small, for the condition of the wounded parts but little, have caused so many and grievous accidents and lastly death itself. Now there came such a stincke, which is a most assured signe of putre¬ faction, from these wounds .when they were dressed that such as stood by could scarse endure it, neither could this stincke bee attributed to the want of dressing or fault of the Chirurgion, for the wounds of the Princes and Nobility stunke as ill as those of the common Sonldiers. And the corruption was such that if any chanced to bee undrest for one day, which sometimes happened amongst such a multitude of wounded persons, the next day the wound would be full of wormes. Besides also, which furthermore argues a great putrifaction of humors, many had Abscesses in parts opposite to their wounds, as in the left knee when as the right shoulder was wounded ; in the left arme when as the right Leg was hurt. Which I remember befell the King of Navarre, the Duke of Nevers, the Lord Rendan and divers others. For all men had nature so overcharged with abundance of vicious humors that if it expelled not part thereof by impostumes [abscesses] to the habite of the body it certainly otherwise disposed of it amongst the inner parts of the body, for in dissecting dead bodies wee observed that the Spleene, Liver, Lungs and other Bo wells were purulent and hence it was that the patients by reason of vapours sent from them to the heart were troubled with con¬ tinual] feavers. But the Liver and all the veinous parts being polluted and so the generation of the laudable blood hindred, they languished for want of](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b30801308_0008.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
