Historical surgery; or, the progress of the science of medicine: on inflammation, mortification and gunshot wounds.

  • Hunt, John.
Date:
1801
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Historical surgery; or, the progress of the science of medicine: on inflammation, mortification and gunshot wounds. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    INTO TWO SPECIES. 41 larly noticed, that Wifeman was as well convinced of the inefhcacy of amputation as a remedy in this difeafe, as the moft enlightened of mo- dern furgeons; he fays, ‘‘fome other inftances I could give of this kind; but this may ferve to fhew you to what little purpofe amputations are in thefe cafes*.” I have felefted this cafe from Wifeman, as an infliance of this particular fpecies of difeafe; and if we compare the two defcriptions as given by Wifeman and Pott+, the coincidence will convince us of their limilarity, but as this difeafe was firfl diflinguifhed by Mr. Pott, until that time the treatment of every kind of mortification was nearly the fame. The ex- planation that Mr. Pott has given of the treatment of this difeafe, and the obfervations that occur refpefting the powers and properties of the dif- ferent remedies, will ferve to illuftrate and explain the general plan of treating gangrene and mortification. We are firft informed, on the authority of alfertion, that the bark has long htenjujtly celebrated as a remedy in thofe diftempers, called gan- grene and mortification; this is not referring in general terms to what * Wifeman’s furgery page 439. T “It generally makes its firft appearance on the infide, or at the extremity of one of the fmaller toes, by a fmall, bltck, or bluifh fpot: fiom this fpot the cuticle is always found to be detached, and the fkin under it to be of a dark red colour.” “ If the patient has lately cut his nails, or corn, it is moft frequently, though very unjuftly, let tO the account of fuch operation.” Pott on the mortification of the toes and feet page 1^9; G might