On appendicitis : two clinical lectures delivered at St. George's Hospital / by William H. Bennett.

  • Bennett, William H. (William Henry), Sir, 1852-1931.
Date:
[between 1880 and 1899?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On appendicitis : two clinical lectures delivered at St. George's Hospital / by William H. Bennett. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    undesirable to return the caecum, which protruded through the wound in consequence of the sutures giving way; the case terminate fatally. The main complications arising after appendix operations are pain, vomiting, and abdominal dis- tension. These troubles may or may not be of great importance. Treated rationally, as a rule they subside without causing more than temporary discomfort; if badly managed they may endanger life. Pain more or less as a rule follows the operation ; it usually subsides in from twelve to thirty-six hours, and is better left to itself unless too severe, when an injection of morphia hypodermi- cally is usually effectual. Vomiting and distension are more serious matters. I have just recently operated upon a patient—a strong and healthy man—who vomite'd persistently for three days; it was the most unmanageable case of the kind I have yet seen. Vomiting of this kind may be in some way due to the operation, or may be de- pendent only upon the anaesthetic. As a rule, vomiting subsides spontaneously if the patient is kept quiet and allowed to sip small quantities of warm water, rectal feeding being used ; sometimes, however, it will not yield until the bowels have acted,—the action must be something more than the mere emptying of the large intestine, hence an enema is as a rule not effectual—the only practical means of obtaining the desired result is to place five grains of calomel on the tongue, which usually acts like a charm.
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