But if nature were even able to get the better of these difficulties, there are others to which our[35] wounded men are subject, lodged together in too great number in military hospitals, where the state of wounds is rendered worse by a concurrence of several causes, and the cure of those of the most simple kind is retarded. The principal of these causes are want of cleanliness, an improper regimen, inconvenient beds, a continual noise, which hinders sleep, bad air, frequent removals from one place to another, and conducted in an inconvenient manner; these circumstances greatly contribute to make the instances of people recovering who are severely wounded near the upper part of the thigh, where the bone is shattered, so uncommon. But if any should pretend to say that there are none cured by the method described § XXXV. I shall only, in answer, produce the invalide soldiers themselves, who are at present, some in the country, others in the hospitals, whose recovery demonstrates the contrary. I acknowledge that this method is difficult and tedious, and that more die than recover; these, however, are not sufficient reasons for declaiming against, or intirely condemning it, as it is the only expedient left, amputation at the shoulder, or upper part of the thigh, being an operation not only difficult, but highly precarious. FOOTNOTES: [33] M. Morand, the father, was the first who took off the arm at the joint of the shoulder. Mr. Le Dran performed it soon after in the presence of the most eminent surgeons of Paris, Messieurs Petit, Marechal, La Peyronie, Arnaud, &c. which number of witnesses, making his operation more extensively known, that of Morand has, as it were, been forgotten, and Mr. Le Dran has passed for having been the inventor. Mr. Bromfield performed it successfully within these few years at London; but notwithstanding a few cases whose event has been favourable, it is a very dangerous operation, and has sometimes miscarried. Dr. Home, an eminent physician at Edinburgh, equally a promoter of agriculture, medicine, and the arts, relates, that in the former war, he saw Mr. Mitchel perform the operation on two soldiers, where the os humeri was fractured as high as the joint, and who both died a few days after: It is true, he remarks that they were both in a bad way when the amputation was performed; but he adds, that this operation appears extremely dangerous, even when performed with every favourable circumstance. _Medical facts and experiments, p. 114_. With respect to the thigh, there is little room to hope that the struggle that is made to determine, when and how it should be taken off at the articulation, can be attended with the success which some people seem to expect from it. If such an operation should take place, it will perhaps very soon be asked, whether it ought not to be publicly condemned? TISSOT.