An essay on curvatures and diseases of the spine, including all the forms of spinal distortion: to which the Fothergillian Gold Medal was awarded by the Medical Society of London and presented, at a special meeting, on the 3rd of May, 1824: with some additions / By R.W. Bampfield.

  • Bampfield, R. W. (Robert William), -1827.
Date:
1824
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An essay on curvatures and diseases of the spine, including all the forms of spinal distortion: to which the Fothergillian Gold Medal was awarded by the Medical Society of London and presented, at a special meeting, on the 3rd of May, 1824: with some additions / By R.W. Bampfield. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    400/418 (page 376)
    cess ; and the constitution was improved by gentle altera- tives, and a laxative of neutral salts with carbonate of soda exhibited every morning. On December 20, the cicatrix was quite firm, and it was evident the projection of the vertebra had diminished. The extension, pressure, and use of the apparatus were resumed ; but the pressure was chiefly made on the transverse pro- cesses of the lumbar vertebrae, and on the spinous processes above the wound, by which the danger of reproducing ul- cerations of the cicatrix was avoided. In the mean time, the child’s health had much improved; her sleep had be- come placid and continued; her pains bad greatly dimi- nished, and recurred less frequently ; and she was regaining flesh and strength. The apparatus was taken off, and re- applied three times a week, when extension and pressure were also employed as long as the patient could bear them without considerable pain. In March, her mother informed me that my patient could no longer be voluntarily confined to bed, and, maugre the fear of punishment, availed ‘herself of many opportunities of walking about when the family duties of the mother required her absence from home: in- deed, on my visit on March 27th, she was playing ina cart. On examining her attitudes, it was found she could firmly stand upright, and perform the different motions of the body, without pain or difficulty ; and instead of stoop- ing or inclining forwards, she rather lent backwards, indi- cating that the axis of the vertebrae is now posterior to the the natural centre of gravity of the body, instead of being an- terior, as was the case when the treatment commenced. She was therefore permitted to exercise as much as she de- sired, but enjoined to observe the facial horizontal position when in bed, and to continue the use of the apparatus. The spinous process of the fourth lumbar vertebra still projected one quarter of an inch beyond the spinous process of the fifth: this has gradually diminished ; and, on being exa- mined on August 3lst, she was in the full enjoyment of health, of crect position, of muscular power of all the