Hunterian lectures on the pathology and surgery of certain diseases of the pancreas : delivered before the Royal College of Surgeons of England on March 7th, 9th, and 11th, 1904 / by A.W. Mayo Robson.

  • Robson, Arthur William Mayo, Sir, 1853-1933.
Date:
[1904]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Hunterian lectures on the pathology and surgery of certain diseases of the pancreas : delivered before the Royal College of Surgeons of England on March 7th, 9th, and 11th, 1904 / by A.W. Mayo Robson. 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.

    5/90
    ON THE PATHOLOGY AND SURGERY OF CERTAIN DISEASES OF THE PANCREAS. LECTURE I. Delivered on March 7th. Mr. President and Gentlemen,—Until quite recently the pancreas from a clinical standpoint was almost ignored and it is only since a more exact knowledge of the great physiological importance of the gland, both with regard to its metabolic functions and to the important role its secretion plays in digestion, that its pathology has come to hold a first place in modern medicine. It must be within the know- ledge of everyone present how little attention used to be paid to the pancreas in the post-mortem room and how often this important organ was passed over with little or no notice, the consequence being that small reliance can be placed on post-mortem records of the past so far as pancreatic disease is concerned, and with few exceptions the pathological museums, of which I have visited the principal in London and a number elsewhere, are very imperfectly supplied with specimens. The impetus given to pancreatic surgery is undoubtedly owing to the incomparable work of Lister, for until surgery was rendered safe the physiological functions of the pancreas could not be proved experimentally, and now that its functions have been practically agreed upon and its pathology is making rapid headway, it is only by careful antiseptic or aseptic surgery that many of its diseases can be efficiently treated. In consequence of my interest in abdominal surgery it has fallen to my lot, owing to the kindness of my medical friends and colleagues and the advantages of my having been associated with a large surgical clinic, that I have seen a very considerable number of cases in which the pancreas has been in question, over 100 of which I have personally operated on. It is only natural, therefore, that owing to