Observations on neuroma, with cases and histories of the disease.

  • Wood, William, 1783-1858.
Date:
[1829]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations on neuroma, with cases and histories of the disease. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    motion, remain very entire in the limb, beyond the tumour. That part of the nerve does remain in a state fit for the performance of its functions, when another part is much diseased, is proved by the ef¬ fect of dividing the nervous trunk in the operation for the removal of the tumour ; when the sensation and power of motion of the limb, which had pre¬ viously been little impaired, became instantly de¬ stroyed, or much diminished. From the appear¬ ance of the internal structure of some of the tumours, they have been supposed to partake of the nature of true scirrhus; but without entering at all into the discussion in regard to the occurrence of cancer, in nerves, as a primary affection, I may state, that there is at least very great reason to doubt of the tumours in Neuroma ever being of a truly scirrhous character : first, because however large the diseased mass is, or however long it may have existed, the contiguous textures, and more particularly the skin, do not become affected with disease of a malignant kind ; and, secondly, because there seems to be no tendency to a return of the complaint, after it has once been removed by operation. Schiffner, in a very minute examination, which he made by dissection of the bodies of two bro¬ thers who had been afflicted with Cretinism, found a great many hard tumours or tubercles, of the size of a pea, in a number of the nerves of various parts of the body; these, he observes, differ from painful subcutaneous tubercles in not giving rise to the paroxysms of severe pain which characterise that disease.