Proceedings of the Westminster Medical Society. Nos. 1-3 (session 1848-1849).

  • Westminster Medical Society (London, England)
Date:
[1848-1849]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Proceedings of the Westminster Medical Society. Nos. 1-3 (session 1848-1849). 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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    rolling the eyes; the general character, however, of the spasmodic movements was clonic: the convulsion lasted from seven to ten minutes. The medical gentleman called the same evening with a forceps, extracted a living maggot, and ordered a weak solution of bichloride of mercury to be applied within the ear. The rasping, gnawing, and pain continued. At 11 p.m. the same evening, another convulsion occurring, further medical aid was called in. and, on consultation, it was agreed to apply white precipitate suspended in milk to the ear. This was done, and somewhat relieved the pain; soon after, two other maggots came out alive. On the Sunday morning another convulsion occurred, but much less violent; the same day a fourth maggot dropped out, also alive. From this time all the acute pain subsided, but slowly at first, as a purulent dis- charge continued to flow from the ear, but which at last yielded to injections and counter-irritants. The patient finally recovered in about six weeks, but had remained deaf in that ear ever since. The case related was very interesting : 1st, as showing the short space of time in which the ova were deposited, the fly not having remained in the ear more than five minutes; 2nd, as showing the rapidity in which they were hatched in the ear; 3rd, as exemplifying the non-poisonous quality of the cerumen to maggots of musca; and, lastly, as indicating the danger of delay, and the efficacy of white precipitate as a means of cure. Two cases only were recorded in Cooper's Surgical Dictionary, in one of which convulsions also were present, but in neither was the history of the first deposition of the ova given, which in this case was distinctly traced to a musca carnaria. Mr. Henry Smith exhibited the oesophagus and part of the liver of a patient who had for the last fortnight sufiered from pain and difficulty in swallowing. On examination of the body after death, the mucous coat of the oesophagus was found to have been destroyed by ulceration, there was also slight stricture of the part, and hardened cancerous masses in the cellular tissue underneath. The liver was affected with carcinoma; there was no resulting di'opsy. Dr. Snow placed on the table an apparatus with which he had lately administered chloroform in some cases. It consisted of a hydrogen balloon holding upwards of two thousand cubic inches, which was provided with a tap, and attached to a face-piece con- taining valves. He said that by means of this contrivance chloroform could be given in a more exact way than heretofore, and that the vapour was rendered much less pungent and irritating, owing to its being uniformly mixed with the whole of the air. When used, a measured quantity of chloroform was put into the balloon, which was then inflated with air by a bellows; in this way, the exact pro- portion of vapour in the air breathed by the patient was known, and the effects produced were very uniform. The expired air escaped by a valve, without returning into the balloon.