Elements of surgery / by Robert Liston.

  • Liston, Robert, 1794-1847.
Date:
1840
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Elements of surgery / by Robert Liston. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by UCL Library Services. The original may be consulted at UCL (University College London)

    26/846 (page 4)
    central nucleus. Whether, in the blood of mammiferous animals, or not, this is an optical deception, is not very clearly made out; but in that of reptiles the nucleus is easily demonstrable. The redness then is not from error loci, or in consequence of red particles flowing where none flowed before, but from the capil- laries becoming distended and dilated with an unusual quantity of blood, which is stagnated in the central part of the inflamed neighbourhood, the inflammatory focus. Throhhing, to a greater or less degree, is always felt in an in- flamed part by the patient; and it is frequently so distinct as to be readily perceived by an attentive examination. This arises, probably, from the stagnation of blood in the vessels of the part over-excited, and principally affected by the disease or injury, causing an increase in the collateral circulation; and it is this rapidly increased action around that gives rise to the signs and symptoms, and constitutes, in point of fact, what is known and recognised as inflammation. The sensation of throbbing is not, however, produced entirely by the action of the capillary ves- sels, but in consequence, also, of the larger trunks in the neigh- bourhood sympathising with these capillaries, and so having their action increased also. The obstruction of the capillaries in the early stage of inflammation must necessarily cause a greater force of the heart to be expended on the trunks leading to such capillaries; hence the greater impulse and velocity of blood in the circumferential and patent vessels. In fact, when the inflam- matory action is extensive or severe, or when the part aff^ected is of much importance to life, the whole circulating system is disturbed, and thus arises the sympathetic excitement of the constitution. . The incited action of those vessels in the more immediate vi- cinitv of the inflamed part is well marked in cases of Paronychia. There the digital, the radial, and ulnar arteries, with their branches, beat more violently than usual; and with much greater force, though not more rapidly, than the vessels m other parts of the body. ^ . ^ ^ Swelling is caused by the enlarged and overloaded vessels re- ^Heving themselves by effusion of part of their contents into the I surrounding cellular texture. The effusion varies m extent and 1 consistence, according to the degree of inflammatory action, and