Surgical cases and observations / [Richard Carmichael].

  • Carmichael, Richard, 1779-1849
Date:
1818
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Surgical cases and observations / [Richard Carmichael]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    sure which Mr. Todd applied with all the force he could exert upon the carotid trunk, was ac¬ tually incapable of repressing the torrent. There was not a moment to be lost. Mr. Colles plunged a dry sponge to the bottom of the wound,, and firmly pressed on the bleeding vessel, while I made a horizontal section of the tumour, till I ar„ rived at the cavity occupied by the sponge, with the view of exposing as quickly as possible the mouth of the bleeding vessel. This was accom¬ plished in sufficient time to save the patient’s life • and a large artery, which was probably the trunk of the facial or labial, was tied in two places ; that is, at each side of an orifice, resembling the vent of an organ-pipe made by the knife, not by di¬ viding the artery, but by taking off a slice of its surface. When the ligatures were fixed, the pres¬ sure from the carotid was removed, and no far¬ ther hmmorrhage occurred. I now had time to examine that portion of the tumour which remained, and found that it firmly adhered to the bones of the basis of the skull, and to the transverse process of the atlas. It was now proposed by some of the friends who so ably and anxiously assisted me, that we should proceed np farther, but leave this portion as it stood, without incurring the danger of another haemorrhage ; but this advice, however prudent, I had the courage