On the admission of air into the veins ... Read ... February 28, 1850 / [George Frederick Lane].

  • Lane, George F. (George Frederick), 1828?-1856.
Date:
[1850]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the admission of air into the veins ... Read ... February 28, 1850 / [George Frederick Lane]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Mr. Gay instantly detached the portion of gland he was engaged in removing at the time, and applied pressure above the opening in the wounded vein. The pulse was now imperceptible; the face deadly pale. Brandy was freely given, the wound closed as speedily as possible, the arm brought to the side, and the woman placed in the recumbent pos¬ ture. The surface of the body became cold, and the patient seemed scarcely to breathe. Ammonia was held to the nostrils; bottles of hot water applied to the feet; t! ie legs and arms were rubbed continuously; the feet and hands im¬ mersed in hot water; hot brandy and water poured down the throat in consi¬ derable quantities, and subsequent¬ ly some sulphuric ether. After the lapse of an hour and a half, during which these measures were continued, the pulse at the wrist could be detected beating regularly, and the woman began to regain her consciousness, which she had lost immediately after the entrance of air into the vein. After this she fell into hysterical fits, which soon passed off again, and after two hours she was placed on the bed so far recovered as to admit of a compress being ap¬ plied, and the arm bandaged to the side ; the pulse beating 80 in a minute, regular, but feeble. She was ordered Sp. Am. Aromat. out of Mist. Cam¬ phorae every four honrs. At 7 p.m. (three hours after the ope¬ ration) she complained of pain and stiff¬ ness about the shoulder, doubtless from the tightness of the bandage. Pulse risen to 100.—Ordered ten minims of Battley’s Liq. Opii Sedativus at bed¬ time. 8th (the following day)—The report is that she dozed occasionally during the night, hut still complains much of the shoulder. There has been no bleed¬ ing besides a little which took place after the application of the bandages, and just sufficient to stiffen them. Tongue furred; pulse 98, regular, of moderate volume; skin rather hot; bowels relieved.—Iced water to be ap¬ plied to the part, and a draught con¬ taining acetate of ammonia and nitrate of potash out of camphor mixture every four hours. 9th.—Dozed frequently during the night, but woke up with pain in the shoulder. Pulse 104, regular and fuller; tongue coated with a brownish white fur, and inclining to dry ; bowels again relieved. — Continue the mix¬ ture. 10th. — Slept more soundly; pulse 100, soft and full; wound discharging. A slight cough is observed to-day. 11th.—She was seized with sickness last night, followed by rigors, which lasted for two hours. The bandages being removed, the wound is found look¬ ing healthy. The ligatures were then removed, strapping applied, and the arm lightly bandaged to the side.—Draught to be continued. She continued from this time to pro¬ gress favourably without any bad symp¬ tom, and on the 28th of the month the wound had quite healed. On calling on her recently, with a view of ascertaining whether she had been sensible of anything during the operation, she stated, quite sua sponie, that she heard Mr. Gay call for an in¬ strument “ to hook down something;” that just before she became insensible “ something went ‘bubble bubble’ under the arm, and shot quite cold across her breast;” and that, just as she “went off, she got quite cold all over,” and knew nothing till she recognised me sitting by her side. There has been no return of the disease, and her general health has been better since than before the operation. A case very similar to the above has been related by Mr. Bransby Cooper A While amputating an arm at the shoulder, a peculiar hissing noise was heard, like air escaping from a narrow¬ necked bottle ; and the patient, an ema¬ ciated girl, set. 19, immediately fell into a state of collapse threatening dissolu¬ tion, during which the following condi¬ tions were observed :—The countenance ; was deadly pale ; the pupils fixed, and i inobedient to light; pulse small and fluttering, altlio ugh at intervals regular; 1 respiration hurried, feeble, and at irre¬ gular intervals, attended with a deep K sigh.—She partially recovered after the jj lapse of an hour, during which the fol¬ lowing remedies were used:—The pa- j tient was placed in a horizontal pos- j ture ; the flap brought over the wound, and held by plaster; cold water was thrown on her face; ammonia held to her nostrils; and a sponge filled with •' wine to the lips. She quite recovered from this operation, but subsequently died of disease of the spine. * Med.-Cliir. Trans, vol.xxvii.
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