A surgical study : gastrotomy and gastrostomy / by J.H. Pooley.

  • Pooley, J. H. (James Henry), 1839-1897.
Date:
1876
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A surgical study : gastrotomy and gastrostomy / by J.H. Pooley. 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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    being biid hold on tlirough the coats of the ventricle, and the point brought uj)wards, the said ventricle above the same was incised, and the knife successfully extracted, which was viewed by all the by-standers, applauded by all, and none more than the patient himself, who professed that this was the very knife he formerly swallowed. But the wound itself, after the knife was drawn forth, was quickly allayed. The knife being thus successfully brought forth, and the patient eased of his bands, the wound cleaned of the blood, and the abdomen that had been incised clo.sed together with five sutures, by their interstices, the balsam was instilled warm, and dossils therewith impregnated laid on, and then a cataplasm of bole, white of eggs, and alum, to allay all infiammation on the outside. About five in the evening he took this sequent decoction with a portion of the sequent powder.” Here follow some very complicated prescriptions, which I omit, as also the laborious daily record, and quote only the end of the narrative, as follows: “And thus,” .‘^aith our author, “by the grace and clemency of the Omnipotent Jehovah and Supreme Director, and with the singular industry and dexterity of the jdiysicans and sur- geons, our rustic swallow-knife was restored to good health, complaining of no dolour of his ventricle; but, being re- turned to his accustomed diet and ordinary calling, Avith us gives thanks to the immortal God; to whom, therefore, be the glory, praise, and honor for ever and ever. Amen.” A 3’oung fellow of Prague (probably the one referred to in ’ the preceding narrative as the Pragensian SAvallow-knife), out of mere sport, says Crollius, swallowed a knife nine inches long, the point of which presented a little above the fundus of the stomach, towards its left side, and the handle towards the spine. Tavo months afterAvards it Avas successfully extracted ] from the stomach by Florian Mathis, first surgeon to the em- j peror. Recovery took place Avith scarcely any symptoms.