Two cases of excision of the knee-joint for forcible separation of the lower epiphysis from the shaft of the femur / by Edwin Canton.

  • Canton, Edwin, 1817-1885.
Date:
1861
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Two cases of excision of the knee-joint for forcible separation of the lower epiphysis from the shaft of the femur / by Edwin Canton. 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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    TWO CASES OF EXCISION OF THE KNEE-JOINT, &c. &c. Case I.—William Jarvis, aged 15, was admitted into the Charing Cross Hospital, under my care, October 21, 1859. At the time of the accident he had sustained, he was playing with another lad, and, with the view of eluding him, was about to run under the body of a horse that stood close by. The ani- mal, however, seeing him approach, suddenly rose on his fore- feet, knocked him down, and then kicked him violently, just above the left knee, with one of his hind hoofs. On attempting to rise, the boy found himself unable to stand; and, to escape further injury, he was forced to roll quickly along the ground out of the horse’s reach. On admission, the affected limb was found to be shorter than its fellow; foot quite everted; leg slightly flexed; patella directed outwards; great and general swelling around the knee, and with such distortion of the parts, as to give the impression of the tibia being dislocated backwards, and somewhat out- wards. The inner femoral condyle appeared to project unduly, and the skin covering it was tense and abraded. On the outer side, and above the patella, a forward elevation of bone could be felt. By extension and counter-extension, the due length of the limb was restored, the patella resumed its natural po- sition, and the projections referred to became obliterated. The usual appliances maintained adjustment. No untoward symptom occurred until the end of October, when the incessant restlessness of the patient, from his intole- rance of the necessary restraint, gave rise to violent inflamma- tion of the joint. On the inner side of the knee the sof t parts