A system of practical surgery / by William Fergusson.

  • William Fergusson
Date:
1852
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A system of practical surgery / by William Fergusson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    94/878 (page 70)
    but concur in this objection, although I have nothing to say in favour of the modern substitute in shape of a slip of tape covered with caout- Fig. 62. chouc, which also, at best, is but a filthy affair, and often, by the irri- tation of its sharp margins, makes one glad to supplant it by the C° AsTconnte’-irritant, I place less reliance on the seton ‘J^n other means already mentioned; but as a direct irritant it may be highly esteemed: thus, in certain erectile tumours, in sinuses, in false joints, and in hydrocele, it seems to me of great value ; but its application in these cases will be more appropriately considered in other parts of *hMVany”ther materials besides those above alludedItc.have been used as counter-irritants, such as sulphuric, nitric, and hydrochloric acids, corrosive sublimate, ammonia, arsenic, chloride of lime, quicklime by itself or mixed with caustic potash, as in the Vienna caustic paste, &c • but after having tried most or all of them, I cannot perceive any peculiar advantage belonging to them individually, and the accounts Len of their mode of action, by the different parties who advocate their special claims, are such as to show that their use must be attended with great pain and annoyance. Caustics a»d cauteries have been used extensively by some surgeons as direct applications to diseased surfaces, and often with very striking advantages/ Some patients will suffer any pain to avoid a cutting in- strument, and there are certain parts of the body where if the surgeon is unwilling to apply the knife, such means may be had recourse to 12 great propriety: Some time ago I had to treat a fungoid-looking nimour on” sole of the foot of a timid old lady; the wisdom of Sheknife was questionable, and besides the patient wasinverse to such a mode of treatment. Here a strong caustic (potassa fusa) was used with the most happy result. • After frequent, and, as I trust, impartial trials, I am not yet con vinced of the specific advantages derived from some of these caustics