Contributions to practical surgery, pathological, therapeutic, and operative. Pt. I / by James George Beaney.

  • Beaney, James George, 1828-1891.
Date:
1861
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Contributions to practical surgery, pathological, therapeutic, and operative. Pt. I / by James George Beaney. 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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    In the operations of approximating both bones In the man- ner recommenclecl, there is little or no risk of constitutional disturbance by profuse suppuration ; and, therefore, if exci- sion of the knee joint be carefully and accurately performed, I think we may banish hectic from the category of disorders which so frequently follow the operation, and which are so disastrous in their consequences. It is in the prevention of suppuration that I conceive the superiority of the operation to consist. Dr. Gross* writes, ^‘In traumatic affections, hectic fever often sets in at an early period after the accident, perhaps there may have been grave shock, and profuse haemorrhage, and the two are soon followed by profuse suppuration, which thus still further undermines and exhausts the vital powers, or it may be that more or less pus has been carried into the cir- culation, and the whole of the system has been poisened by the unfortunate admixture, every blood cell, and every fibre and atom of solid matter teeling its baneful influence. The brief struggle which ensues, may be characterised by the inflammatory type; but this is evanescent, hectic soon taking its place, and thence on, steadily maintaining the ascendency, no intercurrent ch'cumstances ever changing its real character, although they may temporarily disguise it, or for a time, keep it in abeyance.” The treatment of this disease consists in, fl.) Removing the local disease. (2.) Supporting the strength of the patient. (3.) Relieving urgent symptoms. The first of the above indications, in my opinion, cannot be entertained if the disease is the sequel of excision, and amputation would in all probability speedily cut ofi* the patient, and the statistics under similar circumstances support this opinion. I shall not enter into the treatment of this disorder, as that Avill be found sufficiently considered in most systematic works on surgery. My object being merely to illustrate the dangers arising frompi’ofuse suppuration, espe- * System of Surgery, p. 190.