Report on Surgery to the Santa Clara County Medical SocietyCox, J. Bradford (Joseph Bradford)
Science
Report on Surgery to the Santa Clara County Medical Society
Cox, J. Bradford (Joseph Bradford)
Medicine -- California -- Santa Clara County; Surgery -- Case studies
I have thought that its origin might be accounted for on the principle of
metastasis of morbid material. The patient had pneumonia which passed
through its several stages somewhat rapidly, resolution taking place about
the end of the second week. The symptoms of this were well marked, viz: a
chill followed by fever, cough, brick-dust sputa, delirium, pain over
lower half of right lung, which was solidified, and afterward gave the
crepitant and sub-crepitant roles. Could not the morbid material, which
entered the circulation from the re-absorption of the deposit in the
solidified lung, have been carried to the synovial membrane of the knee,
and there found a lodgment, and set up the inflammation which resulted in
the formation of so much pus? If not, Why not? Notwithstanding a tedious
illness, and an anchilosed knee, was not this result better than to have
had suppuration of the lung tissue and destruction of the whole of the
right lung, and perhaps eventually the left also? However, we are not
certain that such a result would have followed, although the patient's
general appearance at the time of the attack, and the typhoid condition
which followed, as also the low grade of inflammation bordering on the
scrofulous, made such a thing probable.
CASE FOURTH.--On Jan. 31st, 1879, Mr. R----, Italian, aged 35 yrs., while
chopping wood near Almaden mines, was injured by a falling tree. The lower
part of the body was very much bruised, both posteriorly and anteriorly.
The only place where the skin was broken was a smooth cut about four
inches long and nearly half an inch deep, following the fold or crease
between the right testicle and thigh, and extending from the anterior part
of the testicle to the perineum in a straight line just where the scrotal
integument joins that of the thigh.
The main injury was in the lumbar region over the upper lumbar vertebrae.
The spinous process of the lower dorsal vertebra seemed to be unusually
prominent, leading to the supposition that the spinous process of the
upper lumbar vertebra might be fractured and depressed. However, I was
unable to detect mobility or crepitus in any of the processes, spinous or
transverse, either of the dorsal or lumbar vertebrae.
There was considerable tenderness over the lumbar region. I would here
state that the examination was made about twenty hours after the receipt
of the injury. There was but little discoloration of the skin, not very
much pain, no paralysis of any part, the bladder evacuating itself
naturally, and a cathartic producing its ordinary effect in the usual
time.
The patient did well; complained of but little pain; did not use opiates.
On Wednesday and Thursday following, the patient felt well enough to walk
about the wards, eating well and having no constitutional disturbance,
pulse never higher than eighty per minute, and the temperature not above
99 degrees F.
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