Introductory address in the Faculty of Medicine at University College : London, October, 1889 / by Rickman John Godlee.

  • Godlee, Rickman John, Sir, 1849-1925.
Date:
[1889]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Introductory address in the Faculty of Medicine at University College : London, October, 1889 / by Rickman John Godlee. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    19/64 (page 15)
    surgeon of his age does to his patient in the middle of the sixteenth century. The descrip- tion is so graphic, and the language of our English translation by Johnson so quaint, that I think I may safely give it in full without fear of being tedious. “ It so fell out, that I (o’ercome by his friends’ intreaty) undertook [the cure of this wretched person, destitute of all humane help. Wherefore, knowing the mortification by its signs, I cut off the arm by the Elbow as speedily as I could, making first the ligature, whereof I made mention.” [This was a strong and broad fillet, like that which “ women usually bind up their hair withal,” and had three purposes :—ist, to draw up the muscles so that they might afterwards fall down over the stump—2nd, to prevent haemorrhage— 3rd, to render the parts numb and so diminish pain. It was, in fact, a simple but efficient tourniquet.] “I say I took it not off with a saw, but only with an incision knife, cutting in sunder the liga- ments which held the bones to- gether, because the sphacell was the incision knife. not passed the joynt of the Elbow. Niether ought this section to be counted strange, which is