Observations on lithotomy / [John Lizars].

  • John Lizars
Date:
[1827]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations on lithotomy / [John Lizars]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    merit of this mode of operating by his Quaere^ or whether he is actually ignorant of the history of this operation, or both, re¬ quires no CEdipus to inform us. When I read these papers, I could scarcely believe that I was reading the conjoint produc¬ tion of two distinguished Professors. That the operation, 66 en deux terns,” should be always kept in view by the operator, I have invariably stated to my pupils, for in no other way can we, in many instances, save the lives of our patients. 1 conceive that we ought never to perform the u operation premeditee en deux terns,” but that we should per¬ form the “operation necessitee en deux terns,” or combine both. We should, therefore, be prepared with a perfect knowledge of both, and commence with the premeditated intention of leaving the calculus in case of necessity. _ i Mr. Allan uses the innuendo phrase u a young surgeon,” as if youth was any disparagement to an operator. I should re¬ commend him to read Lord Chatham’s reply to Mr. Walpole in 1740, every word of which will make his grey “ hairs stand on end, like quills upon the fretful porcupine,” unless he is not 66 made of the same stuff, and cast in the same mould as other men are.” It would be well for Mr. Allan were he young, that he might have time to learn the history of his profession. “ Youth is the worthier age, for young men see visions, while old men only dream dreams.” The youths who have just finished their career in the dissecting-room ought to operate in half the time of those, who have neglected the use of the kqife on the dead body for thirty years, and who obstinately continue to do so. tc The surgeon just come from the dissecting-room, is competent to all operations. They are dissections of sound and healthy parts.” Mr. Allan, in the next place, has the generosity to state, the “ operator was not provided with a lever, or with curved forceps.” Now, Mr. Editor, was it not the duty of the “ prin¬ cipal assistant,” an office which Mr. Allan seems to dwell upon with feelings of pride, (for he had not then even performed lithotomy himself) to take care that every instrument was at hand before the operation was begun ? With regard to his 66 advice, that the patient should not be kept longer upon the table, but that he should be put to bed,” Mr. Allan surely does not mean the world to believe that he was the first who has given such an advice—he would not wish us to consider him ignorant that the same recommendation had been given by Celsus, and every author on lithotomy, Avith the exception of himself.* * See Allan’s Treatise on Lithotomv. v
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