Case of suicide in which death resulted from a wound in the neck by an earthenware jug: with remarks / [Robert Spittal].

  • Spittal, Robert, 1804-1852.
Date:
[1842]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Case of suicide in which death resulted from a wound in the neck by an earthenware jug: with remarks / [Robert Spittal]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    wound contracted quickly, though still (30th June,) it allows a part of the urine to escape. EXCISION OF THE ELBOW-JOINT. Case 1. John Currie, aged 18, was admitted on the 13th of June last, on account of disease in his left elbow-joint. He stated that without any assignable cause or perceptible pain, a swelling had commenced about four years before, and that three weeks after noticing it, he had applied to a bone-setter, who treated him very roughly in attempting to reduce a bone which he alleged was dislo¬ cated. Though the swelling increased and became very painful in consequence of this treatment, he submitted to its repetition twice a-week for three months; the joint upon each occasion being sub¬ jected to the most violent twisting and bending. At last, finding his complaint getting worse and worse, he applied to another bone- setter, who assured him that the bone had not been out of its place, and that he was the victim of mismanagement. Nothing was then done, and no change worthy of notice occurred until nine months before the time of admission, when a discharge of matter took place spontaneously from the joint. The elbow was much enlarged, and had entirely lost all trace of its proper form; there were several openings from which thin matter issued copiously, and through which a probe could be passed down to carious bone; the patient was much emaciated, and had a very suspicious cough. But as the most careful stethoscopic examination did not detect any evidence of pulmonary disease, it was hoped that relief from the local complaint might restore general health. On the 28th, I performed the operation in the usual way. The articulating surfaces of all the bones were divested of cartilage and carious. They were exposed in succession, and removed by the saw, which I find preferable to the cutting pliers for this purpose. No bad symptom followed the operation; the wound healed satisfac¬ torily, and the patient very soon began to regain his health; the cough ceased, and the other indications of a phthisical tendency disappeared. He was dismissed on the 14th of August, able to resume his occupation as a “ skinner.” I saw him lately, and could not have distinguished the imperfect arm, unless my attention had been directed to it. Case 2. Christian Hunter, aged 53, from Kelso, recommended by Dr F. Douglas, was admitted on the 10th of November. She stated that, for ten years she had complained occasionally of pain in the right elbow, stretching down to the wrist and hand, and gra¬ dually becoming more severe as well as frequent. Nine months be¬ fore the time of her admission, the joint swelled to a great size, and the pain which was then incessant, suffered so much aggravation by the slightest movement, that she was obliged to keep the limb entirely at rest. An opening was made soon afterwards with