Clinical collections and observations in surgery : made during an attendance on the surgical practice of St. Bartholomew's hospital / by W.P. Ormerod.

Date:
1846
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Clinical collections and observations in surgery : made during an attendance on the surgical practice of St. Bartholomew's hospital / by W.P. Ormerod. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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

    278/348
    affection by common means^ and tlie readiness with which it yields to the employment of mercury, inasmuch as the testicle of one side has been removed for enlargement connected with syphilitic disease, which recurring in the same form in the opposite gland has been cui-ed vith mercury.* Tliis affection yields to mercury hi as complete and certain a mamier as sypluhtic iritis does; iodine also exerts a certain influence on tliis affection, but not in an equal degree to mercury. In the great majority of cases the employment of mercury internally and by friction is attended with the cure of this disease; the action of mercury being maintained for a considerable period, and accompanied with decided soreness of the mouth. There is, however, no doubt that although many cases jdeld to the employ- ment of mercury in tins manner, yet that if a mild course of mercury alone be practised, some cases capable of rehef even by mercury would remain uncured. Before it can be confidently pronounced that an enlarged testicle is incapable of rehef by mercury, it is necessary that the patient should remain at home, that mercury should be decidedly but slowly employed, and that a decided effect on the mouth should be produced. The ordinary modes of employing mercury are sufficient for this, but no plan has appeared to answer so weU as the constant apphcation of either the strong mercurial ointment or liniment to the skin of the scrotum,—a plan wdiich has been attended with the most marked benefit in the cases under the care of ]\Ir. Lawrence and Mr. Stanley, at St. Bartholomew's Hospital. * Dupuytren, Le9ons Orales, t. i., p. 48, Bnixelles, 1836; also, Ph. Boyer, Gazette ^Mcdicale, No. 48, 1840.