Observations on the statistics of hernia, and on the anatomical causes which determine its production / by Robert Knox.

  • Knox, Robert, 1791-1862.
Date:
[1837]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations on the statistics of hernia, and on the anatomical causes which determine its production / by Robert Knox. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    which had escaped my notice. He there states that hernia cases are very rare in military life, and that for thirteen years he had no occasion to operate for strangulated hernia. I remember whilst surgeon to the Department hospital, Chelsea, I saw a good number of invalids who were ruptured, on their return from re- gimental service in the East and West Indies ; but hernia must without doubt, as Sir George has remarked, be a rare disease in military life. This inference might also be drawn from the manner in which recruits are selected for the service, those be- ing carefully rejected who show even a slight teadency to this ailment. I next applied to Sir George for information respecting the statistics of the French, Prussian, and Russian armies, and he had the kindness to point out Isfordink and Coche as being the sources most likely to obtain information. My former pupil, Mr Gavin, had the kindness to examine the former of these authors and several others for me, but without any success. The French armies being raised by conscription, and, as is presumable, from all classes, the service of their recruitement might be supposed an ample field for the decision of the statis- tics of hernia, in as far as regards the male population. But there exists a difficulty even here. Men of high spirit and de- licacy, have been known to allow the conscription law to be put in force respecting them, preferring rather to conceal the cir- cumstance of their being ruptured than claim exemption on such a ground. The following statement I copy from a very valuable though non-professional periodical, * which I peruse regularly with much pleasure. French Conscription. Years. Force uf Exempted Averages, the class. for hernia. 1831, 295,978 4,044 Force 286,429, 1832, 277,477 3,579 average cases of ex- 1833, 280,420 4,222 emption from hernia, 3,9-18. Itatio 1.3 per cent, Ratio of rejection from all other disabilities, default of stature excepted, C.7 per cent. Whilst these sheets were going to the press, a friend (Mr Thomson) aware of my inquiries respecting hernia, furnished me with the following notice, which he copied from the Globe news- paper, of date April 13th. The Rupture Society of London lield a meeting last week. This society has been instituted since 1805. From the records kept by them, it appears one in fifteen at least (of both sexes) are affected with this complaint, and among such as are exposed to great bodily exertion, the aver- age is one in eight or nine. 31,400 cases have been relieved by this society since 1K05. • The Athcnseuui, No. 435, 1036.