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.

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    Indeed, one instance has fallen under my observation of an incurvation of the lumbar vertebre from the penainamint contraction of these muscles. By degrees, the exterior parts around the thigh-joint en- larged, the skin became shining, the thigh shortened, and a fluctuation was perceptible. On the 2d of February, the abscess opened behind and below the trochanter major, and discharged a large quantity of scrofulous pus, thin and in- termixed with cheesy or curd-like substances. On April 15, the abscess formed another opening below the trochanter minor, from which, in the position she lay, the pus obtained a more ready outlet. No application was used but the or- dinary cataplasm, and no medicine could be given. No symptom of hectic fever supervened ; and although she be- came much emaciated, yet her appetite was fortunately good, and her bowels regular. The swelling and discharge dimi- nished slowly. ‘The case was proceeding more favourably than was expected, the result being still doubtful, when she was assailed, on the 18th June, by the eruptive fever of va- riola, followed by a very numerous crop of pustules all over the body: her mother contrived to make her take some feb- rifuge aperient medicines during the disease, and she was smartly purged after the stages of the disease had been pas- sed through. During the period of small-pox, the dis- charge from the abscesses around the hip-joint rapidly di- minished, and, in three weeks from the termination of small- pox, they had quite healed and. ceased to discharge. On being allowed to exercise, she was soon enabled to walk with her right extremity perpendicular to the axis of the body, without the slightest lameness. During her confinement, the vertebre had regained their natural position, or, rather, the axis of the body was thrown a little backwards. August 31.—On examining her to-day, for the purpose of publication, it was found that the use of the right hip- joint and extremity were as perfect as those of the left; that the body possessed the erect. attitude, and all its locomotive powers; and that the spine had acquired the natural inflec-