On chloroform and other anæsthetics: their action and administrationSnow, John
History
On chloroform and other anæsthetics: their action and administration
Snow, John
Anesthetics; Chloroform; Snow, John, 1813-1858
_Case 15_ occurred in the public hospital of Kingston, Jamaica, on
January 29, 1850. The name of the patient was William Bryan, his age is
not stated, nor the nature of the operation he was about to undergo. He
had previously, however, undergone the operation of amputation of the
penis, on account of cancer of that organ, but it was performed without
chloroform. Mr. Maygarth, the surgeon who administered the chloroform,
stated as follows: “I had about a drachm poured on the sponge, and
applied it over his mouth and nostrils, but at first not in close
contact—at no period was the atmospheric air totally excluded. He bore
it badly, and I was frequently obliged to withdraw it, to facilitate his
breathing. The stage of excitement which is usual came on, and he
struggled and kept away the sponge for some seconds; it was again
reapplied, when, after a few more seconds, observing that he made one
stertorous inspiration, I removed it altogether. He ceased to breathe;
but after some seconds had elapsed, made another inspiration, and this
occurred several times, until at length respiration ceased entirely.”
The measures which were employed were of the usual kind, but were of no
avail.
The brain and its membranes were found to be congested. The lungs were
congested, especially posteriorly. The right side of the heart contained
dark fluid blood, and the inner surface of its left cavities, and of the
aorta, were stained with blood. There was some disease of the aortic
valves, and the heart had undergone some amount of fatty
degeneration.[85]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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