Proceedings of the Philadelphia County Medical Society - Vol.8 (Session of 1887).

  • Philadelphia County Medical Society
Date:
1888
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Proceedings of the Philadelphia County Medical Society - Vol.8 (Session of 1887). Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

    25/330
    REMARKS ON THE USE OF WHALEBONE BOUGIES IN THE TREATMENT OF URETHRAL STRICTURE. By J. H. BRINTON, M.D. [Made January 12, 1887.] I PROPOSE, for a few moments, to ask the attention of the Society to some points in the application of filiform bougies to the treatment of urethral stricture, although it is not my purpose to institute any com- parison between other modes of treatment and that of which I shall speak. I wish merely to refer to the process of rapid dilatation, effected in the course of a few minutes, by the introduction of stretching instru- ments, the employment of which is preceded and accompanied by the use of filiform bougies. When these latter were first introduced they were warmly welcomed, but I think that of late some disappointment has been felt in regard to their efficiency, a disappointment which, how- ever, I do not share. I believe that in these instruments we have an efficient mode of treating stricture, provided they be properly con- structed, and skilfully manipulated. As I have never been quite satisfied with the whalebone filiforms of the shops, I have for some years been in the habit of making my own, and with these I have experienced comparatively little difficulty in treating stricture, and in relieving obstinate cases of retention. My experience has convinced me that all organic urethral strictures of non- traumatic origin are pervious to the filiform bougie, patiently and systematically essayed, and this is the essential and starting-point in the treatment which I prefer. In making my bougies I purchase the material from a dealer in New York.1 These long, slender, rounded whalebones of various thicknesses are articles of commerce and are used for many purposes in the arts. They are rounded through a drawplatc, and come in lengths of twenty-seven or twenty-eight inches, costing about two dollars a gross. 1 Joseph F. Tobin, 82 Duane St., N. Y.