The Sun.
London, England, 1835-12-29 00:00:00

LITHOTOMY AND LITHOTRITY.

(From the Kilmarnock Journal.)
Da. COSTELLO.—On Saturday last, the celebrated Dr.
Costello, of London, who has been for a short time in Kil-
marnock, in the course of a professional tour, performed the
operatioas of lithotanty and lithotrity, and afterwards de-
livered an able and Interesting lecture in the Town-
Hall, in presence of a large assemblage of the medical gen-
tlemen, not of this town only, but also of the other towns
and villages in the county. The patient who was subjected
to the usual operation of lithotomy, or cutting for stone, is
a little boy, about seven years of age ; he bore the opera-
tion which was as carefully as it was skilfully performed,
and occupied only a few minutes, remarkably well ; and
the case has since been going on so very favourably, as to
give assurance of speedy and complete recovery. Litho-
tray, or crushing the stone, so as to admit of its discharge
in fragments, was exhibited upon two aged individuals, who
had, far many years, been martyrs to this most agonising dis-
ease. This mode of removing stone, though it has only of late
years attracted the attention of the profession, is likely, we
are satisfied, soon to supersede, in a great proportion of adult
cases at least, the more formidable method by cutting, which

has been hitherto in use. No small share of the-honour
of this, which may be regarded as one of the most splen-
did improvements in modern surgery, will fall to be ac-
corded to the subject of our present sketch ; as, although
t`le original invention is to be ascribed to M. Civiale, of
Paris, Dr. Costello is entitled to the principal merit, pot
only of introducing it into this country, and of working out
for it a favourable reception from British practitioners, but
also of bringing the necessary instruments to such a state
of perfection as to render the operation comparatively easy
of performance to the surgeon, as well as painless and safe
to the patient. The skill and astonishing dexterity which
he displayed in the cases of the two individuals referred•to,
and also in that of another gentleman in town, now almost
entirely cured, and that at the expense of very•little suit
fering indeed, and of scarcely a day's confinement from his
usual avocations, afforded to all who witnessed then the
highest gratification which operative surgery had perhaps
ever yielded them. It was certainly enough to make
them proud of their art, and confident in its resources,
to see so signal a manifestation of its power . over one of
the most dreadful " ills that flesh is heir to ;" and it
set before them a cheering example of what talent, per-
severing study, and enthusiastic devotion to their pro-
fession may effect ; raising, as these have done, this cele-
brated operator to the proud eminence to which he has so
justly attained, and earning for him the high character of a
benefactor to his species. The frankness and courtesy with
which Dr. Costello exhibits and explains his surgical im-
provements, are-beyond all praise, and have endeared him as
much to the profession in this place as his general scientific
acquirements and amiability of character have secured him
the respect and esteem of all who have enjoyed the honour
of his society. His visit to Scotland at this time, besides
having for its object the recommending his favourite litho-
trity to more general acceptance, has also, we understand,
been undertaken with the view of procuring co-operators in
the preparation of a Cyclopedia of Surgery,—a work in-
tended to comprise treatises upon the several departments
of operative surgery, by those of the profession most con-
versant with them, and to embrace all the improvements
most recently introduced. Such a publication has been, fQr
some time, felt to be a desideratum ; and will, we doubt
not, with such an able editor, and such distinguished coad-
jutors as he has secured throughout the kingdom, prove a
most valuable addition to our medical literature.—From a
Medical Correspondent..