An appeal to the medical profession, on the utility of the improved patent syringe, with directions for its several uses, shewing, by a statement of facts, the validity of the rights and claims of the patentee.

  • Read, John, 1760-1847
Date:
1824
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An appeal to the medical profession, on the utility of the improved patent syringe, with directions for its several uses, shewing, by a statement of facts, the validity of the rights and claims of the patentee. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    the fen<]ency of the margin of the lifl is to leave the ball; the upper part of the little muscle obviates this tendency. As such api'.ears to be tlie actions of the parts, I must therefore coincide with him in calling it tensor tarsi, a name expressive of its function.” The minute anatomy of the Par has engaged the attention of Dr. Ribes.* In some of his dissections, he had found the lining membrane of the labyrinth of the ear to be moistened with a fluid of a clear and watery appearance. This fluid, although generally existing in such small quantity as merely to lubricate the inside of the labyrinth, is often more considerable, but still not suflicient to fill the cavities. From having observed that the quantity varied, he was induced to examine to what extent this peculiar fluid occupies the cavities of the labyrinth. In dissections of persons who had been deaf, he found that the hu- mour contained within the labyrinth was sometimes of a yellowish colour, sometimes of a red and bloody tinge. In the foetus, the fluid was ahvays bloody in appearance, and occupied all the extent of tlie cavities. At a later period, it was found more transparent, and less in quantity. In accounting for a serous fluid being secreted by the membranes of the labyrinth, he supposes it to be analogous to that which is often found in the ventricles of the brain, in the pericardium, the pleura, peritoneum, and joints; and he supposes it to increase in quantity after death. He dissected the ears of oxen and horses recently slaughtered, to estimate the quantity of fluid within the labyrinth, and repealed the experiment of Cotunnus, of freezing the ear. He always found fluid, but also a considerable space which was empty. Hence he concluded that there must be air in this space; but how, he asks, does that get admitted, since there is no natural communication with the external atmosphere? He does not solve this flifliculty. To discover whether there really be air.withiu the labyrinth, he made some rather clumsy experiments: for example, he put the head of a subject in a basin of water, and fixed it with iron rods; he then introduced a pair of forceps into the ear, and drew away the stapes, at the same time perforating the forarnen rotundum ; he aflerw'ards poured mercury into the canals. In some of his experiments, air was expelled; and hence he thinks he has j)roved that air exists in the labyrinth, although he admits that part of it may have been generated after death. He concludes that the internal niembrane of the labyrinth is lubricated with a thin fluid, and that an aeriform fluid occupies the rest of its cavities. File next question he investigates is concerning the manner in which this fluid escapes from the vestibule and cochlea. He had at one time paid great attention to the relative situation of the aqueducts, through which the fluid containcti in the labyriiuh was supposed to be drained oft; but It had not occurred to him, till lately, that this fluid, like the uids of other cavities, might be absorbed, instead of |,>assing through 1 le pores of the bone. 'Fhis idea he lotmed Irom having observed that. * Revue McilicaU’, December J823.