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
Catalogue details

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.

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    fitting nourishment. But when the Braine by vapours was drawne in to sympathize with the rest they were molested with Ravings and Convulsions. Wherefore if any thing succeeded unprosperously in so great malignancie of wounds the Chirurgeon was not to be blamed for that it were a crime to fight against God and the Aire wherein the hidden scourges of the divine justice lye hid.” Truly a comfortable doctrine from the surgeon’s point of view. Pare recognized clearly fracture of the skull by contrecoup, and he devotes a chapter to “ Resonitus or Counter-fissure ”, in his book “ of the Greene and Bloody Wounds of each Part” saying : “ Sometimes the fracture is made in the part opposite to that which received the blow ; as if the right side be strucke the left is cloven. This kinde of fracture is very dangerous because we cannot finde it out by any certaine signe. Wherefore, if at any time the patient dye of such a fracture, the Chirurgion must be pardoned. This shall be made manifest by reeitall of the following historic,—A servant of Massus the postemaster, had a greevous blow with a stone upon the right Bregma, which made but a small wound yet a great contusion and Tumour. Where¬ fore, that it might more plainely appeare whether the bone had received any harme and also that the congealed blood might be pressed forth, the wound was dilated, the skinne being opened by Theodore Hereus, the Chirurgion, who as liee was a skillful workeman and an honest man omitted nothing which Art might doe for his cure. When he had divided the skinne the bone was found whole, although it was much to bee feared it was broken because he fell presently to the ground with the blow, vomited and showed other signes of a fractured scull ; so it happened that he dyed on the one and twentieth day of his sicknes. But I, being called to learne and search how he came by his death, deviding the scull with a saw, found in the part opposite to the blow a great quantity of sanies or bloody matter and an Abscesse in the Crassa meninx [dura mater] and also in the substance of the very braine but no sutures but the two scaly ones. Therefore, that is certaine which is now confirmed by the authority of Hippocrates as also by reason and experi¬ ence, that a blow may bee received on the one side and the bone may be fractured on the opposite, especially in such as have either no sutures or else so firmely united and closed that they are scarse apparent.” The next extract is hackneyed, but it still bears repetition. It tells of the way in which Pare was driven to use a simple dressing for gunshot wounds : “In the veare of our Lord 1536 [he was born in 1509 or 1510] I was in the Kings Army, the Chirurgion of Monsieur Montejan, Generali of the foote. I will tell the truth, I was not very expert at that time in matters of Chirurgery, neither was I used to dresse wounds made by Gunshot. Now I had read in John de Vigo that wounds made by Gunshot were venenate or poisoned and that by reason of the Gunpowder. Wherefore, for their cure it was expedient to burne or cauterize them with oyle of Elders, scalding hot, with a little Treacle mixed therewith. It chanced on a time that by reason of the multitude that were hurt, I wanted this Oyle. Now because there were some few left to be dressed I was forced, that I might seem to want nothing and that I might not leave them undrest, to apply a digestive made of the yolke of an egge, oyle of Roses and Turpentine. I could not sleepe all that night for I was troubled in minde and the dressing of the precedent day