Название: A Collection of Chirurgical Tracts
Автор: Beckett William
Издательство: Public Domain
Жанр: Зарубежная классика
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The most considerable Case that offered it self during our first Enquiries into the Nature of Cancers, was that of a Woman, who about Four Years before received a Blow on one of her Breasts, upon which it began to swell, grow painful, and after some time became all over livid, and of so prodigious a Bigness and Weight, that she was obliged to keep it suspended by a Napkin round her Neck: But in regard our Method was not put in Practice till by other Applications it was become ulcerated, we shall speak of it as such. The Patient, then, at this time complained of a very violent Pain, which extended it self to the Back and Shoulder, by the Communication of the Nerves (for those of the Breast come from the fifth Pair of the Spine, and from a Plexus about the Clavicels.) To remedy this, she had taken no small Quantity of Hypnotic Medicines, which, without Doubt, destroy the due Texture of the Blood, and so become prejudicial to the Patient, and disadvantagious to the Surgeon that proposes a Cure. But because Persons generally find some Relief by Opiates, as they retard the determined Motion of the Blood, straiten the Nerves, and check the tumultuous and disorderly Influx of the Spirits; so, probably, in these Cases, their Use will be continued. Besides the acute Pain, the Cancer was over-spread with fungous Flesh, its lower Part extreamly hard, knotty, blackish, and its Basis seemed inclinable to fix; the Matter which was discharged was thin, reddish, and stank abominably. This was the Condition of this poor Woman, when we first applied our grand Dissolvent; the Pain she was attended with the first and second Day after was inconsiderable, nor did she complain of more afterwards, than would have been procured by the most mild and easy Remedy the Dispensatory affords. In four Days Time we found a very evident Alteration for the Better; for the Consistence of the Matter was changed, and the Surface of the Cancerous Mass became somewhat soft, we continued the Use of the same Medicine, and in a few Days more some part of the Cancer came away with the dressing. In short, in about six Weeks time, the whole Substance was entirely gone, and nothing remained to be done but to heal the Ulcer, which was effected in about a Fortnight. During the time she was under Cure we gave her a proper internal Medicine, not calculated to destroy the Acidity of the Blood, but to dispose the whole Cancerous Mass, with its Appendices to come away, which might otherwise, as the Seeds of the Disease, cause it to spring again: Thus was this Patient, (after so great a Fatigue she had undergone before she came to me) perfectly cured, and has continued so to this Time, without any manner of Inconvenience as she lately told me, it being a long time since she has been well.
A Gentlewoman near fifty Years of Age, by some Accident received a Blow on her left Breast, which in a few Days was succeeded by a considerable Tumour, whereupon she applyed herself to a Surgeon, who immediately let her Blood, ordered her to take the Lap. Hibern. in Posset-Drink, and embrocated the Breast with Ol. Succini: By the use of these Means the Swelling was much abated, a small Hardness only remaining, which did not exceed a small Wallnut in Bigness; in this State, with very little Pain, she continued above a Year; but being persuaded to apply an Emp. de Ran. cum Mer. to it, it encreased very apparently, was extreamly painful, and in Seven Months time became as big as a large Egg: After this she made use of a Woman who was reputed Famous for these Cases; but by One or Two of her Applications the Tumour became as big again as before: In short it continued to encrease gradually from that time, till the whole Breast, which was of a monstrous Bigness, and which was judged not to weigh less than Eight Pound, in time became entirely Cancerous. It was at this time that I saw it the Skin was very livid, looking sleek and shining, and seemed ready to open, as being scarce capable of longer containing such a prodigious hard Mass as laid concealed under it, and was in all Probability as big as the Breasts of the Ammonian Women, of which Juvenal thus speaks, In Meroe, crasso majorem Infante Mamillam. She had been with various experienced and reputable Surgeons before, among which was One not long ago deceased, who was justly looked upon as an Ornament of his Profession; but not one would willingly attempt a real Cure by cutting it off, or any other Way: They only prescribed some palliating Remedies to remove the Pain and prevent its Breaking. I was animated by my former Successes, and prevailed with my self to undertake it, not thinking I was at all blameable if my Success in so extraordinary an Affair contradicted the Prognosticks СКАЧАТЬ