A system of operative surgery : based upon the practice of surgeons in the United States, and comprising a bibliographical index and historical record of many of their operations, during a period of two hundred years / by Henry H. Smith.

  • Smith, Henry H. (Henry Hollingsworth), 1815-1890.
Date:
1852
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A system of operative surgery : based upon the practice of surgeons in the United States, and comprising a bibliographical index and historical record of many of their operations, during a period of two hundred years / by Henry H. Smith. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    having operated for hydrocephalus, but with doubtful success; re- moved tumors by the ligature, and first described lithotomy as per- formed on the female; in the male he practiced the lateral operation. lie also excised the tonsils and uvula; extracted polypous tumors from the fauces; objected to any attempt at extirpating goitrous tumors; invented the probang; employed sutures in wounds of the intestines; condemned tracheotomy in acute inflammation of the windpipe, and when it had reached the bronchia, and strongly doubted the pro- priety of operating in cancerous tumors; declaring that he never cured, or saw cured, a single case. He also advised the partial eva- cuation of large abscesses, as subsequently practiced in England by Abernethy and others. Pope Innocent II., A. D. 1139, retarded the progress of surgery, by describing its practice as degrading, and forbidding the clergy from pursuing it. Pitard, A. D. 1271, established the College of Surgeons in Paris. Gilbertus Anglicanus and John of Gaddesden, two surgeons of distinction, practiced in England A. D. 1300, 1320. Guy de Chauliac, A. D. 1360, first described the Caesarian operation. John of Arden, A. D. 1370, operated very successfully for fistula; improved the trepan, and added the centre pin. Valasco de Taranta, A. D. 1410, practiced at Montpellier, and first proposed the application of arsenic to the cure of cancer. Germain Colot, surgeon of Louis XI, A. D. 1460, restored the operation of lithotomy to the profession by an act of the law. A. D. 1440—1450 was distinguished by the discovery of Print- ing, which had a marked influence on the progress of the profession. A. D. 1492, Discovery of America. It may, perhaps, specially interest the American student to know that Syphilis was described by Albucasis, Avicenna, Valesco, and John of Gaddesden, nearly 100 years before this period,* and that its origin in connection with the expedition of Columbus is by no means established. Vesalius, in A. D. 1550, taught Anatomy; and Eustachius, in A. D. 1560, did the same. Ambrose Pare, in France, A. D. 1560, created a new period in surgery, both by his practice and writings. He wrote on gunshot wounds, firearms being first introduced at this period; employed * See Lectures of Sir A. Cooper, by Lee.