Contributions to practical surgery, pathological, therapeutic, and operative. Pt. I / by James George Beaney.

  • James Beaney
Date:
1861
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Contributions to practical surgery, pathological, therapeutic, and operative. Pt. I / by James George Beaney. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    most indiscriminately in almost every disease in the medical nosology. Chlorodyne has been extensively employed in the “ Naval and Military IIo8])itals,” and from being highly re- commended by a “ Deputy Inspector General,” is as a matter of course, prescribed by tlie “ Faculty,” as the most speedy “ pain killer ” that has been discovered in modern times, and as a medicine eclipsing all others for assuaging the pangs of suffering mortals, that has ever been administered during the history of therapeutics. Again, if a patient looking yellow, and suffering from constipation with debility, applies to a physician for advice, these symptoms Avill be considered conclusive by many that the cause of all the mischief is in the liver, (especially if the patient has just returned from the East or West Indies,) the offending organ is then immediately assailed by a volley of podophylline pills, and should the sufferer survive this “ stage ” of active purgation, the char- acter of the stools and the number of ‘‘ chambers ” exposed in triumphant array, herald the speedy approach of the patient’s convalescence, and the “ new remedy ” is vaunted as one superseding all others in the category of eliminative medicines. In like manner, since excision of the knee joint was revived by Professor Fergusson, of King’s College, London, in 1850, it has been performed most indiscriminately in a great number of cases not at all suited for the operation, and by which considerable discredit has been brought upon the same.* It may be asked what are the pathological conditions favourable to resection ? This question may be very properly met. If when the disease is of a chronic character, and the joint disorgan- ised or rapidly approaching that condition, incapable of sustaining the weight of the body, and when all our previous treatment has proved abortive, then I maintain we must seek for permanent relief, by removing the diseased structures. * It is proper to add, that in many cases collated by Mr. Price, the opera- tion was perfonned as a dernier resort, on account of extensive and protracted disease of the articulation, attended with a worn out state of the system. Gross’ System of Surgery, volume ii. p. 109G.