Thoracentesis and its general results during twenty years of professional life : remarks made at a stated meeting of the New York Academy of Medicine, held April 7, 1870 (by invitation) / by Henry I. Bowditch.

  • Bowditch, Henry I. (Henry Ingersoll), 1808-1892.
Date:
1870
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Thoracentesis and its general results during twenty years of professional life : remarks made at a stated meeting of the New York Academy of Medicine, held April 7, 1870 (by invitation) / by Henry I. Bowditch. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

    11/96 (page 3)
    THORACENTESIS, AHD ITS GENERAL RESDLTS. Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Academy :—On this occasion I think it best to be entirely frank. A few weeks ago, on the receipt of a letter from your colleague, Dr. Learning, asking my present opinion on the sul)ject of Thoracentesis, and wliether I still approved of perlbrniing it, as I ibrmerly did, I re- plied that not only was I more than ever confirmed in my opinion of the value of the operation, V)ut tliat I wishe(l that your meetings were to be held at a reasonable distance from Bos- ton, and I might crave permission to be allowed to attend otic, in order more clearly to present tlie claims of this method of treat- ing pleuritic eifusions. Upon this hint, your President, my almost life-long friend. Dr. Bulkley, sent me an invitation, and urged me to forget the dis- tance. Friendship, therefore, has summoned me. I liave, how- ever, come in obedience not only to that, but likewise to two of the noblest axioms of our profession : viz., 1st, The profession claims of every member a full and frank declaration of all that is valuable in his experience; and 2d, It bec(jmes the duty of every one to act fully up to this sacred rule, in order that, by so doing, we may all become better able to alleviate human suffering, or perchance save human life. Some of you may perhaps remember that I have ah'eady ])ub- lished papers on the subject of Thoracentesis, viz., in the Ameri- can Journal of the Medical Sciences,* the American Medical Month/i/,\ and the Boston Medical and Sitre/ical Journid\ My first article appeared in 1852; my last in 1857. Notwithstanding these publications, in order to give yon a clear idea of the progress of my mind, and to show that my pres- ent views are the results oi no sudden enthusiasm, but latlier of many years of thought and of practical experience, I think it best to take a very summary review of the subject of thoracentesis, and of my connection with it. I shall do tliis with sincere ))lea- sure. I rejoice to have the oi)portunity of doing so before this Academy. For, be assured, I know of no one thing in my i)ro- fessional life for which I more sincerely thank God, than for the fact that I was early led to perform this operation as freely as I have done it; for by it I am sure I have relieved many from severe suffering, and in some instances, I believe, I have saved hu- man life. Thoracentesis has been known from the time of Hippocrates, * American Journal of the Medical Sciences. April, 1853. \ American Medical Mont/iJi/, Jan.. 1853. New York, j Boston Medical and Surgical Journal, May 25, 1857.