The modern treatment of stone in the bladder by litholapaxy ... / by P.J. Freyer.
- Freyer, Peter J. (Peter Johnston), Sir, 1851-1921.
- Date:
- 1886
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: The modern treatment of stone in the bladder by litholapaxy ... / by P.J. Freyer. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![And here I must refer to a most unaccountable state- ment that occurs in the latest edition of Bryant’s Sur- gery. In describing Bigelow’s operation, the following passage occurs —“A No. 15 or 16 evacuating catheter for small, and a No. 17 or 18 for large, stones should be selected and passed, the larger instruments, Nos. 2b to 30, as used by Bigeloiv, being required in exceptional cases only [the italics are mine], the size being determined by that of the urethra.” Now, no such instruments as those ascribed to Bigelow in the passage in italics have ever been used by him, so far as I am aware. The largest catheter recommended in his writings is a No. 20, English, and this for use in exceptional cases only. Nos. 17 and 18 being those most relied on for P-eneral use. It is extremely to be regretted that an error of this kind should have crept into what is, perhaps, the most popular text-book of surgery in the English lan- guage. A statement of this kind is calculated, not only to misrepresent the distinguished author of the operation, but to prejudice students against the operation. When I first read this passage, I was very forcibly reminded of an incident of rather an amusing character that once occurred to me. A Hospital Assistant, who had come a long distance to witness the operation of litholapaxy, was extremely astonished on seeing the instruments displayed on a table before him. Taking- up the No. 20 canula, he naively inquired whether in use it was placed m-side or oz<^-side the jjenis! The * “ Practice of Surgery,” by T. Bryant, fourth edition, vol. ii. p. 121.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b28710307_0060.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
