Some methods of hypodermic medication in the treatment of inoperable cancer / by John A. Shaw-Mackenzie.

  • Shaw-Mackenzie, John A. (John Alexander), 1857-1933.
Date:
1904
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Some methods of hypodermic medication in the treatment of inoperable cancer / by John A. Shaw-Mackenzie. 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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    Hypodermic Injections of Sodium Oleate (Soap) Solution For some years Mr. J. H. Webb, Melbourne, has been successfully treating cases of inoperable cancer by hypo- dermic injections of soap solution. When this fact came under my notice the first difficulty I had to encounter was that of determining the requisite strength of the solution and dosage. Unable to ascertain that the treat- ment had been tried by others, I communicated with Mr. Webb. Meanwhile, Colonel Ligertwood and I agreed to commence with 5 minims of a 1 per cent, solution obtained from Messrs. Allen and Hanbury, increasing by 5 minims on alternate days to full doses of 60 minims every fourth day. Technique.—The injections are given into the sub- cutaneous tissue. They were given chiefly into the outer surface of the upper part of either arm alternately or of the chest in the neighbourhood of the growth. They were not altogether free from some smarting or pain, which, however, soon passes off, or is obviated by previous injection of eucaine. They appeared to be more painful in the leg and in certain situations which vary individually, and which I have also noticed with other injections. Locally, the effect seems to vary from some tenderness to painful inflammatory areolae and to lumps without sup- puration. The soap solution readily passes through an ordinary fine steel needle, and the same details of syringe antisepsis and local anaesthesia before insertion of needle are followed as previously noted in chian turpentine injections. For convenience, Messrs. Allen and Hanbury have put up for me 1 drachm doses of the sterilized soap solution in small stoppered bottles. These only require to be warmed before use, and the solution poured into the barrel of the syringe. 2—2