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
I have notes of nine cases of the drilling of cataract in which I have
administered chloroform, and there were some other cases in 1848, of
which I have no memoranda. Some of the early operations were performed
by Mr. George Pollock, and the more recent ones by Mr. Bowman. Many of
the patients were infants or children. There have been two cases of the
removal of coagulated lymph from the interior of the eye, by Mr. Bowman
and Mr. White Cooper; and six cases of the formation of artificial
pupil, by the same surgeons, and Mr. Dixon; and in two cases lately, Mr.
Bowman has removed a portion of the iris.
I have given chloroform in 25 cases of excision of the eyeball; 20 of
the operations have occurred within the last two years, in addition to
some in which I administered amylene. The whole of the operations were
performed by Mr. Bowman, except one by Mr. Fergusson, and one by Mr.
Hancock. The operation is of late years a much less formidable one than
formerly, owing to the plan of commencing to dissect off the conjunctiva
just around the cornea. After the eyeball is removed, the edges of the
conjunctiva are drawn together by a fine suture, so that scarcely any
wound is left, and the patient can generally begin to wear an artificial
eye in four or five days. In cases of malignant disease extending beyond
the globe, of course, the more formidable and extensive operation would
still require to be performed.
I have administered chloroform for the removal of sparks of iron and
other foreign bodies from the cornea, chiefly in cases in which the
surgeon had previously tried without success. Under the influence of
chloroform, the foreign matters were always removed very readily. There
have also been operations for the removal of growths from the eye and
granular growths from the conjunctiva, and also for staphyloma and
pterygion.
I have memoranda of 54 operations for strabismus in which I have
administered chloroform. The greater number of them were performed by
Mr. Bowman, but several by Mr. Fergusson, and a few by other surgeons.
One operation was performed by the late Mr. Dalrymple. Mr. Bowman
generally operates on both eyes at the same time. A great number of the
patients who have taken chloroform for this operation were children.
They have nearly all been lying down during the operation.
There have been nine operations for ectropion and entropion, chiefly by
Mr. Bowman. I have administered chloroform on four occasions whilst Mr.
Bowman has performed a plastic operation for the formation of a new
eyelid. On three occasions, the eyelid had been destroyed by a burn, and
the material for the new one was taken from the integuments of the
forehead. The operations were necessarily tedious.
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