Statistics of the amputations of large limbs that have been performed at the Massachusetts General Hospital, from its establishment to Jan. 1, 1850 / by George Hayward.
- George Hayward
- Date:
- 1850
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Statistics of the amputations of large limbs that have been performed at the Massachusetts General Hospital, from its establishment to Jan. 1, 1850 / by George Hayward. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)
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![progress within the last century than it had in all preceding tune. The only explanation of this startling fact is, that there were formerly no re- cords kept of the results of these operations; there were no data upon which such an opinion as that of Mr. Bell could rest, except what were derived from vague impressions. The memory is apt to be treacherous with regard to unfavorable cases; the successful ones are usually remem- bered, and too often published alone. It is very desirable, therefore, to get as much information as possible on the subject; and in order to do this, every one who has many ope- rations of this kind, either in private or hospital practice, should publish them all with their results. When a large amount of materials has been thus collected, a careful analysis of the whole will show, to some extent, no doubt, how far death, when it does take place after amputation,'is at- tributable to the injury or disease for which the operation was per- formed, or to the operation itself, or to some other circumstance. It will serve to guide surgeons in some measure in deciding upon the expe- diency of operating ; under what circumstances it can be done with the best prospect of success, or when it should be deferred or avoided alto- gether. This course is now in successful progress, and it is to be hoped that it may be continued so long as the operation of amputation may be found necessary. [From the American Journal of Medical Sciences for May, 1840.] Statistics of the Amjjutations of Large Limbs that have been performed at the Massachusetts General Hospital, from its establishment to January 1, 1840; with Remarks. The following table, it is believed, contains a list of all the amputa- tions of large limbs that have been performed at the Massachusetts General Hospital since the establishment of that institution. Such par- ticulars are added as were thought calculated to throw light on the sub- ject. These in a few instances are not so full perhaps as could be wished. This remark applies especially to some of the early cases, which oc- curred at a period when the records of the hospital were not kept with that precision that has since been adopted. The omissions, however, are not thought to be such as will impair to any extent the value of the table. The statistics of amputation are very desirable. They may probably lead to practical results of some importance. From what has recently been published, it is evident that amputation is more often followed by the death of the patient, than was formerly supposed. But to what ex-](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21127578_0006.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
