On injuries of the head affecting the brain / By G. J. Guthrie.

  • George James Guthrie
Date:
1842
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On injuries of the head affecting the brain / By G. J. Guthrie. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    have terminated in the effusion of lymph or the formation of matter, which the trephine would not have prevented nor removed. George Mills, an artillery driver, aged twenty-eight, was admitted into the Depot de Mendicite Hospital, Toulouse, May 29, 1814, in consequence of having been throwm from his horse on his head against the ground. He had fallen on the right side of the os frontis, immediately above the eye, where the sur- face of the skin appeared to be scratched and bruised, but the bone was not depressed: he was bled freely, but remained insensible. The next morning he was again bled to twenty ounces, which operation was repeated in the even- ing. On the 29th the temporal artery was opened, and a vein in his arm at the same time ; the breathing being strong and sonorous, he lay quite insensible, the eyes being closely shut; the pulse before the bleeding w^as quick and small; after he had lost about eight ounces of arterial and eight ounces of venous blood it became fuller, and the breathing was somewhat relieved ; the slightest touch gave him pain, and he shrunk from pressure made directly above the eye. The temporal artery was again opened in the evening, and ten ounces of blood were taken away. A purgative and a stimulating enema were ordered, and cold was constantly applied to the head. 30th. He was freely purged, and appears more collected; the pulse is still quick and small; breathing very free ; the irritability continues, and he com- plains of pain on pressing the head. The purgative and enema were repeated, and ten ounces of blood were drawn from the temporal artery ; after which he attempted to speak. 31st. Passed a good night; the pulse is quick and small; pain in the head still great; was again bled to twelve ounces, and the purgative was repeated. June 1st. Pulse quick ; there is not so much pain in the injured part, and he appears more sensible; was bled to twenty-four ounces, and the purgative was repeated. 3rd. Was again bled to ten ounces. From this time until the 20th he gradually improved, and was then discharged cured. Captain R., aide-de-camp to General Sir L. Cole, received a wound from a musket-ball at the battle of Albuhera on the anterior and middle part of the left parietal bone at its junction wdth the frontal, which fractured it, causing some slight depression. He was rendered insensible at the moment, and was brought in the evening to the village of Valverde, where the insensibility was shortly fol- lowed by symptoms of inflammation, Avhich were subdued by repeated bleed-