Observations on the advantages of exposing wounds to the air after capital operations; with some remarks upon the removal of scirrhus tumours from the breast / Communicated in a letter to Samuel Bard.

  • Hosack, David, 1769-1835
Date:
1813
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations on the advantages of exposing wounds to the air after capital operations; with some remarks upon the removal of scirrhus tumours from the breast / Communicated in a letter to Samuel Bard. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Whether we believe the hemorrhage to be restrained by the formation of an internal* or an external coagulum, by the effusion and coagulation of blood in the surrounding cellular membrane,f by the retractionj of the artery, a constriction5 of the circular fibres of its extremity, or an effusion of lymphjj from the divided vessels and the inflamed vasa vasorum, in ei¬ ther case, the long continued application of a stream of fresh air upon the part, is well calculated to prevent the evil to be apprehended; at the same time that the stimulant effects of the air, in cases like the present, will probably not a little con- tribute to excite that degree of inflammation in the wound which is necessary to accomplish the union by first inten¬ tion. Its benefit, in this respect, was very apparent; for such was the enfeebled state of the General’s constitution, and as has already been remarked, so relaxed were the parts them¬ selves, that an immediate union of the sides of the wound was scarcely to have been expected without the aid of some local additional stimulus. During your last visit to this city, in the early part of this month, you also had an opportunity of witnessing the success of this practice in restraining a very tedious and troublesome hemorrhage, which took place after an ampu¬ tation of the breast. In that case, as is usual after that operation, although I had secured ten arteries by ligature, the discharge of blood was very considerable from the whole surface; but after remaining exposed for half an hour, the hemorrhage having totally ceased during the greater part of that time, the wound was dressed, and as in the former case upon dressing it four days after, its sides were entirely closed, ex cepting that part through which the ligatures were passed. * Petit, f J. Bell, J Pouteau. § Morand, Gooch, White, Kirkland, &e. |j JonW, &