Free incision of abscess of ostitis of hip, and closure without drainage / by H. Augustus Wilson.

  • Wilson, H. Augustus (Harry Augustus), 1853-1919.
Date:
1893
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Free incision of abscess of ostitis of hip, and closure without drainage / by H. Augustus Wilson. 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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    [Reprinted from the Transactions of the Philadelphia County Medical Society, January 11, 1893.] ~ I k ■ COMPLIMENTS Of 3. A:g-‘-5Twlh:->'.lL 1611 S; Rue: ot., ’ -1^'t ! * * - V*. _ • FREE INCISION OF ABSCESS OF OSTITIS OF HIP; AND CLOSURE WITHOUT DRAINAGE. By H. AUGUSTUS WILSON, M.D., CLINICAL PROFESSOR OF ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY IN THE JEFFERSON MEDICAL COLLEGE ; PROFESSOR OF ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY IN THE PHILADELPHIA POLYCLINIC, ETC. [Read January 11, 1893.] I WILL in this paper refer only to cases in my private practice in preference to my hospital experience, because these cases were in a more favorable condition for operation, and because it was possible to keep them under control in a more satisfactory manner, and I was less likely to lose sight of them. My hospital experience in similar cases is far less satisfactory, and I regret that I cannot at this time give the statistics in addition to those contained in this paper. I am convinced that the occurrence of an abscess of any consider- able size is generally evidence of neglect, and that its growth to a size to raise the question of the advisability of its evacuation is a still further enoi. The neglect of early recognition of the malady and the enfoiced postponement of rigid immobilization render necessary the consideration of the question now under discussion. In view of the well-recognized facts that spontaneous resolution by absorption does take place in favorable cases, and that even after spon- taneous rupture of an abscess the resultant sinus sometimes does ulti- mately close, it might appear to be adding an unwarranted risk to operate at all. But on the other hand the occurrence of the abscess being often caused by neglect, and the doubt that must exist as to the possibility of obtaining a final favorable result, even with the employ- ment of the desirable forms of mechanical rigidity of the joint, favors the application of remedial measures of an operative nature which are based upon sound surgical principles. The great diversity of opinions even among orthopedic surgeons, as to the expediency of operative interference m hip abscess is evidence, first, that operative procedures a one nevci cuie in this condition, and secondly, that the scientific use