Paralysis caused by working under compressed air in sinking the foundations of Londonderry New Bridge / by T.H. Babington and A. Cuthbert.

  • Babington, Thomas H.
Date:
[1863]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Paralysis caused by working under compressed air in sinking the foundations of Londonderry New Bridge / by T.H. Babington and A. Cuthbert. 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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    to walk, and his legs and feet were cold and numb. He was sitting Avith his feet almost in the fire., and several of his toes were con- siderably burned Avithout his even experiencing the sensation of heat. This man had not been taken ill suddenly, as he had had pains in his legs for some days previously, and it Avas some hours after coming out of the cylinder that he became so ill as to require medical attendance. The man Avas put into a Avarm bed, and given a little brandy, and his legs Avere briskly rubbed with a stimulating liniment. In tAVO days he Avas quite well, with the exception of his burned toes, which slowly healed. Case IV.—Daniel Doherty, similar case to above; severe pains in legs relieved by stimulating liniments. This man had hemoptysis some short time afterwards, but is now quite Avell. Case V.—James M‘Nulty, aged 18, went to work in the cylinder on the morning of 3rd October, 1861. After being four hours under pressure, on coming out of the cylinder into the air lock, and whilst the pressure Avas being lessened, he fell helpless. He was visited immediately, and Avas found lying in a semi-comatose condition, able to ansAver questions on being roused, but speedily relapsing into a state of insensibility. The comatose symptoms passed off in about 18 hours, when he was found to be totally paralysed from the fourth rib, to have retention of mine, loss of sensation, and all the usual symptoms which accompany the Avorst form of injury of the spine in the cervical region. He was next day removed to the County Infirmary, where he remained till his death, on the 17th of March, 1862, having been in hospital 160 days; sensation or the power of motion never Avere restored. For a long period before his death he had incontinence of urine and feces, and died exhausted from the effects of universal bed sores. Case VI.—John Mun’ay, aged 30, admitted to infirmary Avith precisely similar symptoms as in M‘Nulty’s case, with the exception that the paralysis and loss of sensation did not extend above the 8th dorsal vertebra. He lived 30 days, and died from the effects of bed sores so often seen in spinal injuries. He Avas a man of weak constitution and of irregular habits. These are notes of four fatal cases, and two not fatal. INIany cases of slight paralysis and muscular pains, and other anomalous nervous affections, came under observation, but it is unnecessary to enter into the particulars of each case.