Volume 1

A manual of surgery / in treatises by various authors ; edited by Frederick Treves.

Date:
1886
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A manual of surgery / in treatises by various authors ; edited by Frederick Treves. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    135/604
    breathing becomes stertorous, the face congested, and there is total anaesthesia; but if the nature of the operation be such that the administration cannot be continued during its performance, it should not be commenced until after three or four stertorous in- spirations. If continued beyond this without ad- mission of air there is great lividity, spasmodic twitching of the muscles, dilatation of the pupils, and probably opisthotonos, and in women paralysis of the sphincter of the urethra. In dental operations it is necessary, before com- mencing the administration, that a prop attached to a string be placed between teeth, at a distance from those to be extracted, to keep the mouth wide open. In addition to this the administrator should be provided with a more powerful gag with which he can quickly open the mouth during anaesthesia, in case the prop from any cause be displaced. Any difficulty with the respiration is generally at once relieved by one or two compressions of the chest. Faintness is best treated by the recumbent position, and ammonia or nitrite of amy], Tiie A. C. IE. mixture.—To do away with the depressing effect of chloroform and the irritation of the air passages by ether, many combinations have been employed, the favourite being that commonly known by the name of the A. C. E. or 1. 2. 3. mixture, which consists of alcohol 1, chloroform 2, and ether 3 parts. It must be borne in mind that this is merely a mechanical mixture, no new chemical compound being formed ; and it is a mixture of liquids of differ- ent specific gravities, boiling points, and rates of volatility. It follows, therefore, that in its employ- ment care must be taken (1) that it be quite fresh. (2) that no form of inhaler be used which will allow of the accumulation of the heavier fluids after the evaporation of the more volatile.