The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-01-11 00:00:00

The pains and

HENRY THOMPSON.
Ps. CONNEAU.
DR. LE BARON CORVISART.

The Lancet publishes the following bulletin :
.• MONDAY, JON 0,330143(
"His Majesty the Emperor Napoleon, under the
iafluence of chloroform, has undergone, this day at
noon, a second operation for crushing the stone. The
difficulties of the operation were greater than usual,
but the results obtained were considerable. There
is much suffering, together with some degree of con-
stitutional disturbance; but the general strength
remains good.-

CHISELEUR,T, JAN. 7, 3 P M.
The local symptoms are severe, but the Emperor's
streugth is good.
HENRY THOMPSON,
WILLIAM W. GULL, M.D.
DR. CONNEAU.
DR. La BARON CORVISART.

The Times, on Wednesday, remarked :—" The ma-
lady of the Emperor Napoleon is one which furnishes
an apt illustration of the extreme accuracy of balance
that is ordinarily maintained bet ween different bodily
functions, and of the diaasters which are liable to
ensue when once this liaqince has been disturbed. It
is the province of the kidneys to remove from the
system not only a large portion of the fluid which is
daily consumed, and which, after serving various
purposes in the economy of the system, is at length
cast out, but to remove also much of the solid
matter which has at one time helped to build up
the frame, and which, when no longer adapted to folioi
this purpose, bsroas part of the daily waste. This
waste falls naturally into a variety if chylub.;al
cm-
pounds, most of which are of easy solubility, and it
is liable t s be largely reinforced the consunmtion
of more food than is actually required, or by mineral
ingredients taken into the body in the drinking
water of particular localties. The tendency to
the crystallization of tialMe solutions is, as is gene-
rally known, greatly promoted by the presence if
any nucleus upon which crystals may be laid down ;
and if at any time it happens that an excess of
saline constituents over the fluid in which they are
dissolved leads to the deposit within the body of
any minute portion of them in a solid state, this, unless
very speedily expelled, becomes a centre around which
successive layers of different kinds may group them-
selves. Variations in the external temperature, or in
the habita and conditions of life, induce a variety of
changes in the character of the daily excreta, and call
upito the kidneys to remove a preponderating quantity
now of one, now of another of the refuse matters with
which they have to deal, and whi,h may thus be de-
posited in successive layers upon any nucleus that is
presented to them. The mere presence of even a small
calculus within the body seta up an amount of
irritation which leads to an excessive secretion
of mucus, and this; in its turn serves as a sort of
cement by which the succeesive layers of deposit
become united together, and ultimately formed into a
concretion which may vary from the size of a pea to
that of a cricket-ball, and from a weight of stew grains
to that of the heaviest on record—tilb. 3,,z When
once • calculus of any kind is formed, the impulse that
its presence gives to crystallisation renders its future
increase comparatively independent of any continued
excess of solid matter; and when it has reached the
size of a pea, its extrusion through natural channels is
hardly to be expected, and the time for some
kind of operative interference has arrived. When
the chymistry of the bodily functions was
first attentively studied, great hope was enter-
tained that it might be possible to remove cal-
culi by means of solvents administered medicinally,
and adapted to the probable character of the deposit in
each case • but these hopes have long been practically
abandoned, and the resources of art are limited to two,
—the making an incision through which the calculus
may be extracted entire, and the crushing it into such
fragments that it may be totally expelled. The malady
affects persons of all ages; a." in young people the cut.
ting operation is so safe that it leaves when skilfully
performed, very little to be deaired. When the middle
period of life is past the cutting operation becomes
highly dangerous; and that of crushing is, in most
cases, to be preferred. But even this, when applied
to large concretions, and when requiring to be fre-
quently repeated in order to reduce them to the ne-
cessary degree of comminution, is be set by numerous
and great sources of peril; so that in the case of the
illustrious patient at Chieelhtiret our hopes for a suc-
cessful issue must for many days be tempered by
anxiety. . .

second operation, which was performed on
Monday, is reported to have been followed by the ex-
pulsion of many fragment', and the Emperor ham nines
been in lees suffering than during Saturday and Sun-
day, PO that he has obtained some sleep to make up for
long arrears. His constitutional power. and pulse are
excellent, bnt the local conditions are such that even
these excellent powers will be severely tried.
" Daily inquiries have been made at Camden Place
on the part of the Queen, of each member of the
Royal family, and of many foreign Courts; besides
thole from large numbers of the nobility.
The Empress, although suffering excessive anxiety,
is bearing her trial with the greatest fortitude, and is
most active in directing all arrangements that can
conduce to the comfort or advantage of the Ern.
peror."

The Meilicat Record zontains the following para-
graph :
" Professionally, it Is understood that the cue is one of
some difficulty. The Emperor has for some years suffered
from the constitutional preludes which afford the pre-
monition of the formation of a calculus. Resort to the
waters of Vichy and Elombleres has not averted the result.
The severe irritation caused by the presence of • large
stone having necessitated surgical interference, Sir
Henry Thompson dcated on performing lithotrity, the
calculus being fortunately, especially considering its size,
of a phosphatic character The tint sitting wu on
Thursday, when the stone was successfully attacked and a
considerable portion of it crushed. The second sitting was
on the fourth day (Hondayl, as Is not unusual when Irrita-
tion supervenes. Subsequent sitting. will, of course, be ne-
cessary at Intervals, to be determined by the character al the
symptoms. Chloroform was administered on both occasions;
the operation was therefore painless. The Emperor, always
self possessed, has shown his usual courage. air H. Thomp-
son, Or. Common, and Baron Corvbiart are in constant atten-
dance, and Sir William Hell in daily consultation."