Monthly retrospect of the medical sciences : January to December 1849 / edited by George E. Day, Alexander Fleming, W.T. Gairdner.

Date:
MDCCCXLIX [1849]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Monthly retrospect of the medical sciences : January to December 1849 / edited by George E. Day, Alexander Fleming, W.T. Gairdner. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    231/262 (page 229)
    An attempt was made by Mr Luke, in 1843, to arrest the development of the dis¬ ease by the passage of a series of threads through it, which, having caused conside¬ rable inflammation, was attended by tem¬ porary success. Of late, however, the lip has rapidly and enormously increased, and has given rise to very great annoyance, both in speaking and taking food. There is also extensive discoloration of the skin, over the lower part of the face, the neck, and upper part of the chest; but this was not in progress of extension, and gave no inconvenience. For the purpose of remov¬ ing the large mass of diseased lip, Mr Luke adopted the following proceeding;— A ligature, three yards in length, was armed with nine curved needles, which were placed about twelve inches apart from each other. The first needle was passed through the lip, from its inside near the left angle, a little beyond the limits of the tumour; the second, through the lip at a little distance to the right; the third, about the same distance, still more to the right; and so on with the other needles, until the right angle was reached, the last needle being passed a little beyond the tumour on the right side. In this way seven of the needles were used; the remaining two, being unnecessary, were removed. The needles were next cut off, and eight loops of ligature were thus left. Upon tightly tying the ends of these loops, respectively with each other, the whole of the tumour was enclosed within them, and its circula¬ tion stopped. This was done most effec¬ tively, by reason of each ligature embrac¬ ing a small portion only of the lip, a pro¬ ceeding which had the additional advan¬ tage of not producing any puckering or drawing in of the lip. The tumour became livid and gangren¬ ous, and sloughed off on the 18th, leaving a sore of a pretty sound and healthy ap¬ pearance. The report on February 19th states: The lip has been healed for some time, and the patient has this day been discharged from the hospital cured. The deformity caused by the tumour, with the exception of the mere mark of the cica¬ trix, has, by this operation, been com¬ pletely and satisfactorily removed, while the patient, possessing the power of free motion of the lip, has got rid of an incon¬ venience which had hitherto rendered his life miserable.—Med. Times, Sept. 1,1849. 317. — Hemorrhage from the Tongue treated with Tincture of Matico, after other means had failed. Reported from London Hospital.—Oct. 9, 1848. William Baker, fruiterer, aged thirty-four years, states, that on the 6th instant he received a blow upon the chin, whilst the tongue was pro¬ truding from the mouth, which caused that organ to be wounded by the teeth, the consequence of which was hemorrhage, so copious and uncontrollable, as to ren¬ der it necessary to apply to several sur¬ geons for assistance ; but, as none of them succeeded in suppressing the bleeding, he was brought to this Hospital in a very weak state, and placed under the care of Mr Luke. A piece of the nitrate of silver was immediately pushed into the wound; but, notwithstanding this, the bleeding still continued. A saturated solution of alum was next applied by means of pieces of lint, but still without success ; and, at last, the tincture of matico was had recourse to, and used in the same way as the solution of alum, which, fortunately, had the de¬ sired effect of permanently arresting the hemorrhage. The patient states, that whenever bleed¬ ing from his nose takes place, it generally continues for several days; that some time ago, when he was bled from the arm, it was found to be very difficult to stop the blood, which oozed through the compress and bandage for nearly four days. He further states, that he was a patient in this hospital some years back, on account of hemorrhage from the urethra, which continued for the space of seven days, and was at last stopped by keeping a large ca¬ theter for a long time in the urethra. He had also been, it appears, at another time in this hospital, in consequence of having received a wound on his hand, which bled for several days, notwithstanding that con¬ tinual pressure was kept up by compresses; thus showing a very strong hemorrhagic diathesis; and, on inquiry, it is found that all the members of his family have the same disposition, particularly his father. In the above case, the patient, after having been one week in the hospital, without any return of the hemorrhage, was discharged, with directions to take tonic medicines, and to use such other means as are likely to have a tendency to strengthen his constitution and to improve his general health.—Med. Times, Sept. 1, 1849. [We may here refer to the notice given in the last number of our Retrospect, of Dr Hargrave’s strong recommendation of a solution of matico leaves as a styptic.] 318.—Compound Dislocation and Re¬ moval of the Astragalus. By R. S. Nunn, Esq., Surgeon to tbe Essex and Colches¬ ter Hospital.—The patient was a robust farmer. He was thrown from a cart when travelling at a moderate pace, and fell on the side of his foot. On removing the boot