Surgical observations : being a quarterly report of cases in surgery, treated in the Middlesex Hospital, in the cancer establishment, and in private practice : embracing an account of the anatomical and pathological researches in the School of Windmill Street / by Charles Bell.

  • Charles Bell
Date:
1816
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Surgical observations : being a quarterly report of cases in surgery, treated in the Middlesex Hospital, in the cancer establishment, and in private practice : embracing an account of the anatomical and pathological researches in the School of Windmill Street / by Charles Bell. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by University of Bristol Library. The original may be consulted at University of Bristol Library.

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    mediately to undertake the operation. But it was reported that she had evacuation downward. On this account the operation was deferred. Consultation. 10 in the Evening. The symptoms continue: the belly swelling more ; the tumour not harder, but distinctly pinch- ed ; and the neck of the sac exceedingly narrow. The determination depended on the answers to two questions: 1. Had every thing been tried ? Yes, she had been bled and had been put into the bath, and had had large stimulating enemae, and the taxis had been repeatedly attempted. 2. Had she relief in her bowels ? No : the reports had been vague ; but now it appeared there was nothing returned with the enemae. These answers being received, the operation was determined upon immediately; for although the tumour was not hard, yet the vomit- ing continuing, attended with a tense belly, pain on pressure, and that pain felt especially at the neck of the sac ; there was no time to lose. [* 2.] During the operation, * it was remarked, that the fascia [* 3.] was particularly thin, so that being opened, it so much resembled the peritoneum, that the pupils, some of them very conversant with this subject, supposed the peritoneal sac [* 4.] to be the gut itself. But the peritoneal sac being pinched up with the forceps, burst like a bubble, and a quantity of clear serum jetted out. And now * The operation was performed by Mr. Cartwright.