Discourses on the nature and cure of wounds / by John Bell.

  • John Bell
Date:
1800
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Discourses on the nature and cure of wounds / by John Bell. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    498/518 page 226
    “ The next morning, the patient having fuffered more than he could poflibly have done from an ope- ration, was now deiirous of fubmitting himfelf; but Mr. Crane was of opinion that fuch a ftep could only tend to halten his death, which happened upon the third day after the accident.” Thus, in all fuch cafes does the patient’s fate hang upon the decifion of a moment; and whenever the limb is folhattered, by a cannon ball, by the burfting of a bomb, by a waggon wheel palling over it, by the falling of any great weight; whenever a limb is fo crulhed that there are many chances againftits being preferved, and that the attempt mull immediately en- danger the patient’s life, and that the limb itfelf when faved, will moll likely be Ihort and diftorted, fo as to be rather an encumbrance than a help to him, in fuch cafe it ought to be cut off. But where a lace- rated and bleeding artery is added to thefe dangers, the queltion is more ealily determined ; this either weakens the patient by the open bleeding, or difor- ders the limb Hill more by the inward driving of the blood ; it is not perhaps impofiible to fave the patient, but yet the chances are fo many again!! him, that it would be much better the limb were cut oft' at once. *l A coal ininer was admitted into the Leeds infir- mary with his leg terribly fhattered, by a fall of coals, feveral pieces of which had penetrated into the broken flelli, and was mixed with the mufcles. At firft the bleeding was violent, but it gradually abat- ed ; cooling remedies were applied, and a tourniquet was kept in readinefs. Tile hoemorrhagy always
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