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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    16’ [more or less, according to the violence of the in- flammatory action] is added to the mucous secre- tion. Accordingly, it assumes in one instance, [N0' 1], the appearance of concreted mucus ; in another, [N°‘4], the character of coagulable lymph. In contemplating these preparations, it must be particularly gratifying to reflect, that by the im- portant communicaton of Mr. Chevalier, we are authorized in recommending an operation which, in such cases, promises perfect relief. I have seen much of this disease, and have examined the parts in not less than fifteen cases ; it has not ap- peared to me that it was the violence of the inflam- mation which destroyed the patient, nor the irrita- tion directly from the inflamed membrane, but that the presence of this secreted membrane, acting like a foreign body, at the same time occasions spasms in the glottis, obstructs the passage and confines the mucus. But I am bound to state, in the strongest terms, that death is ultimately a con- sequence of effusion in the lungs, occasioned by the continued struggle and difficulty : for on open- ing the chest, I have uniformly found that the lungs did not collapse, and that the bronchi were full of mucus ; this corresponds with the symp- toms ; for, before death, the violence of the cough and struggle has given place to coldness and insen- sibility, with a pale swelling of the face and neck ;