Volume 3

The history of the lateral operation, or an account of the method of extracting a stone, by making a wound near the great protuberance of the os ischium ... first attempted by Frère Jacques ... and afterwards by Professor Rau ... With a postscript concerning the introduction and improvement of this method here in London / By James Douglas.

  • Douglas, James, 1675-1742.
Date:
1726
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The history of the lateral operation, or an account of the method of extracting a stone, by making a wound near the great protuberance of the os ischium ... first attempted by Frère Jacques ... and afterwards by Professor Rau ... With a postscript concerning the introduction and improvement of this method here in London / By James Douglas. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    32/96 (page 24)
    City, having obtained what he fomuch defired, Leave fa to do, in the manner we fhall prefently relate. Concerning the Fate of thefe Twelve Patients, for I do not find that he cut any more, tho3 it is very probable he did, Monfieur Meryf informs us, that one of the Pmfians died two Days after the Opera¬ tion, another in three Days, another in the Month of September follow¬ ing, having never been cured ; the reft lived, but in fuch a manner as did this new Method no great Honour, as we fhall hear in the proper Place. Mery fays nothing of nis Journey to Verjaities; but Dionis who mentions it owns, that all the Patients he cut there recovered in fome fort or other. (23) One of the Three laft of the Paris Patients he cut upon the Gripe. This is the firft time we hear of his Cutting for the Stone in that man¬ ner ; and Monfieur Mery has given us the following Account of his Method. He introduces the Fore and Middle Fingers of his Left Hand through the Anus into the Inteflinum Return; and prefling upon the Bladder behind with his two Fingers, and before with his Right Hand upon the Belly, he thrufts the Stone towards the Perinaum, and keeps it there by means of the two Fingers which he holds firmly behind it. In his Right Hand he takes his Biftoury, and beginning at the Pro¬ tuberance of the Ifchium, he cuts all the Parts that lie between that and the Stone. So that his two Ways of Operating difier, not in the Courfe of the Incifion, but only in the Inftruments he ufes, and the Manner of cxtra&ing the Stone; for whereas in the great Apparatus he cuts upon a Staff, and ufes Forceps to draw out the Stone, in this he cuts upon the Stone itfelf, and takes it out by means of a Curete of about an Inch in breadth. Firft of all he dilates the Bottom of the Wound, by thruft- ing his Condu&or into the Bladder; then forces in his Curete between the Stone and the upper internal Surface of the Bladder ,* and having got it behind the Stone, he raifes the Handle of it with his Right Hand, the two Fingers of his Left remaining ftiil in their former Place; and thus, in the fame manner as a Weight is raifed, or any other Obftacle re¬ moved by a Lever, he forces out the Stone. (24) ' ' ’ *' i \ ' x. . * ‘ ' „ i , Mr. Buffiereys Correfpondent has likewife taken Notice of this Me¬ thod of Operating. Brother James, he fays, very often cutteth the Pa¬ tient upon the Gripe, almoft in die fame manner as was ufed formerly, except