The first lines of the practice of surgery. ... Being an elementary work for students, and a concise book of reference for practitioners / By Samuel Cooper.

  • Samuel Cooper
Date:
1809
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The first lines of the practice of surgery. ... Being an elementary work for students, and a concise book of reference for practitioners / By Samuel Cooper. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    603 The ancients have given us descriptions of various ma- chines for reducing these luxations ; but whoever con- siders the danger there is of increasing the pressure on the spinal marrow, instead of diminishing it, by the applica- tion of lorce, will be cautious not to be too bold. It is very certain, that most of the cases, mentioned by authors, as dislocations of the vertebrae, have only been concussions of the spinal marrow, or fractures of the above bones. DISLOCATION OF THE OS COCCYGIS. This bone is said to be liable to two kinds of luxations * one inward, the other outward. The first case is always occasioned by external violence; the second, by the pres- sure of tins child’s head, in difficult labours. The na- ture of these accidents is easily detected by the foregoing cause, and by an examination with the lingers, external]/, and within the rectum. Pain ; retention of the feces, and' urine; an afflicting tenesmus; inflammation, sometimes, terminating in abscesses, which interest the rectum ; are symptoms, said to attend, and follow, dislocations of the os coccygis. Luxations of this sort are easy of reduction. 'When the bone is dislocated outward, it may be readily replaced in its natural situation, by making proper pressure externally, and supporting the little bone, at the same time, bva finger introduced into the rectum. The reduction being finished, a piece of soap plaster, a compress, and the T bandage, may be applied. When the os coccygis is luxated inward, the surgeon is to smear his fore linger with oil, and introduce it into • he rectum. Then the bone is to be pressed outward, while proper resistance is made externally with the fingers of the other hand. After the redaction, all pressure is to be carefully avoided, lest the bone should be forced inward again.