The history of the case, and a descriptive account of the operation performed upon William Forder, at the Norwich Free Hospital for 'Incurables' : together with indisputable evidence of the accuracy of the casts presented to the Hunterian Museum / by Mr. Webber.

  • Webber, William, 1800-1875.
Date:
[1854]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The history of the case, and a descriptive account of the operation performed upon William Forder, at the Norwich Free Hospital for 'Incurables' : together with indisputable evidence of the accuracy of the casts presented to the Hunterian Museum / by Mr. Webber. 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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    Unable to go on with his work, he came back to his wife and family in March. He again applied to the Surgeons at the Institution referred to, and they again tried to operate upon him, hut only succeeded in extracting a few small pieces, “soft, like brains.” No great deal of bleeding then followed; the nostril was left nearly full of the diseased growth. No examination of the jaw or inside of the mouth was made; and the disease was left to take its course, as the surgeons told him “'they could do no more for him, it being a bad kind of Polypus, what they called malignant; and that he had better not let anybody meddle with it. again.” It continued to spread in every direction. About the middle of April he was obliged to take to his bed entirely, he having become much reduced and very weak from the recurrences of Hcemorrhage to a considerable extent. The whole nose at length became filled; and the growth, now bound down by the tightly distended integuments, forced its way under the upper lip, growing over and blocking up his mouth, except at the left angle of it, and where but a little opening was left him for breathing or taking food, which could only be administered to him in a-liquid form through the spout of a teapot. It was at this juncture, (about the third week in July), that I was requested “ to see him for satisfaction ;” he feeling per- suaded, from what people had told him, that if he could but be admitted into “The Free Hospital for Incurables” he should get relief; a confidence which, despite my assuring him of the probability that he would die under any attempt to remove the disease, it was impossible to shake. Before receiving him into the Hospital, I took two Members (Clergymen) of the Committee to see him. These gentlemen expressed it to be their opinion, that if there were the remotest chance of relieving the poor fellow by any operation it ought to be done, as it was evident he must die soon if left to contend with the disease. He was accordingly admitted into the Hos- pital on the 22nd of July. A diet of strong soups, with wine, brandy, &c. was ordered him, and for a week or ten days he was free from haemorrhage, gained strength, and said he felt himself more comfortable than he had done for a month. On Friday, July 29th, a cast of his face was carefully made by Mr. Harper, the Subcurator of the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital Museum. A correct drawing also was afterwards made by a talented artist, from which the woodcuts here shown were taken. On Monday, August 1st, a slight Hoemorrhage took place, and he began to feel dispirited, and expressed a fear that I