Quarterly report of the Edinburgh Surgical Hospital, from November 1829 to February 1830 / by James Syme.

  • James Syme
Date:
[1830]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Quarterly report of the Edinburgh Surgical Hospital, from November 1829 to February 1830 / by James Syme. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    The operation was performed in the manner formerly describ- ed, and was attended with very little difficulty, owing to the separation of the surrounding soft parts from the articulating bones, which had been caused by collections of matter. Thu olecranon was greatly expanded, and, if I may use the expres- sion, completely rotten, so that it crumbled into fragments, which were extracted piecemeal. The radius adhered to the humerus, and was extracted along with it. Before dressing the wound, I observed that the ulnar nerve was partially divided by an oblique incision, and therefore cut it completely across, to avoid the danger of such a wound; and its extremities being then placed in contact, the integuments were stitched together. The patient did extremely well; the wound healed most kindly ; the swelling of the joint subsided; she gradually regained its use; and is now, I am happy to understand, restored to perfect health.* For some time after the operation, she complained of coldness and numbness in the ulnar side of the hand, but in process of time got rid of these unpleasant symptoms, probably in consequence of re-union between the extremities of the nerve. James Page, aet. 8, was recommended to the Surgical Hospital by Mr Ferguson of Auchtermuchty, as a proper subject for ex- cision of the elbow-joint, and was admitted on 2d January. The right elbow was much enlarged, discoloured, and stiff. There were two sinuses opening on each side of the triceps, through which a probe could be passed to the bone. The operation was performed on January 12, in the ordinary manner. The wound healed kindly, and the patient is nearly ready to leave the Hos- pital. James Alexander, aet. 9, from Arbroath, entered the Hospital on the 2d February, on account of a disease of the elbow-joint, under which he had laboured eighteen months. The bone can be felt extensively diseased, and the case seems in all respects a favourable one for excision, which will be performed so soon as the parents are informed and give their consent. James Dennet, came from Dundee to place himself under my care on account of pain, swelling, and redness over the ole- cranon, which had resulted from a blow on the elbow, received several months previously. On coming to town, he was per- suaded to apply to another practitioner, who made a long inci- sion through the skin. When he at length applied to me, a small part of the wound remained open over the olecranon, where there was some swelling and much tenderness on pressure. The patient declai*ed that he was not any better than when he • I was inforniscl to-day that Ikt father having lately died, leaving a widow and six children in very destitute circumstances, she is able to conliibute towards their su]>i)ort by tambouring muslin.