Observations on aneurism, and some diseases of the arterial system / by George Freer.

  • Freer, G. (Gordon)
Date:
1807
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations on aneurism, and some diseases of the arterial system / by George Freer. 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.

    36/150 (page 18)
    (lead body I piactiscd the operation of aneurism, which k was then my intention to perform in the case of James M'Donald, Jiereafter related. After having performed the operation on ])otli sides, I remo-ved the left iliac artery, and having brought it home, for the pur[x>se of minutely examining it, I was much surprised to find that part of the artery which passes under Poupart’s ligament so thin and transparent, that it could nearly be seen through. Immediately above this part, there was an evident contraction of the vessel, and above this contraction, a thickening and an effusion of coagulable lymph on the external coat; upon slitting up the artery, it was found much inflamed, and its internal coats ulcerated, as represented in the plate. On making enquiry concerning the symptoms of the disorder which had occasioned death, I found that the man was forty years of age, much habituated to drinking, had been subject for great part of his life to cough, had complained frequently of palpitation, or to use his own expression, ‘‘ a fluttering about his heart, which would leap and jump that he could scarcely breathe,” his face at those times became dis- coloured, and he suddenly fell down, and was, to all appearance, dead. About the middle of May last, symptoms of dropsy came on, his legs swelled, water collected in the abdomen, and he had a difficulty of breathing, for which he requested relief. Three grains of calomel were ordered at bedtime, and saline purges were given every other day for three times, then one