The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware advertiser., 1825-11-10
MEDICAL.
From the Lancet, an Eaglish Jonraal.

From the Lancet, an English Jonr,al.
Curious OherQtioa.-The operation of
TRANSMISSION, or blood taken from a man and
injected into the veins of woman, who was
dying Of he morrhage, was performed about
three weeks since, under the direction of DR..
Blundell, Lecturer on Physiology and Mid
wifery at Guys Hospital.
A poor woman. about 2J years Of age, was
attended whilst in labor, BY Mr.. Waller. of
4Aldersgrate- street, Nothing particular oc-
cured during the labor, but afterthe birth
ofthe child and expulsion of tho pacenta,
the womb did not properly contract and
during the absence of the medical attendant,
flooding occurred to an alarming extent.
When visited by MI. Waller, the patient S
pulse, at the wrist, was scarcely perceptible,
indeed, at times, it could not be felt; the lips
and face were of pallid or death like hue
and in word, the taper Of life was but faint
ly glimmering.
Under these circumstances, it occurred to
Mr.. Waller that the operation of transfu-
sion would be a measure to rescue the pa
tient from her perilous situation.
DR.. Blundell was sent for, and upon his
arrival he found the patient had somewhat
rallied; in consequence of which he deemed
1t better to delay the performance of the OPP
Grafton, for as Dr.. BlundeIl observed to his
pupils, this operation is only justifiable in
extreme and otherwise desperate cases. Af-
ter waiting an hour the patient became
worse; she vomited, and was exceedingly
restless, which may always be regarded as a
very bad symptom; the pulse at the wrist
was flutterng, and occasionally moi to be
felt, and there was that peculiar expression
of countenance which can scarcely be des-
cribed; it may be called death in the face
1t dll not appear proper to delay the opera
tion. which was therefore commenced as fol-
lows:-Ihe cephalic vein of the right arm
was laid bare, to the extent If about an inch,
and biunt-Dointed bent needle was passed
unler the vein, at the lower part of the open
ing, so as to prevent the eiilux of blood. The
husband of the patient, a robust, healthy
young man, was now called in, and two
ounces Of blood were taken, in full stream,
from his arm, and received into a conical
glass tumbler. An opening of about 18th
of an inch was made in the vein of the +
tient, and by means OF a syringe and tube the
blood a5stracted from the husband WAS
somewhat slowly thrown in, towards the
hear-No very obvious effects were protlu-
ced from this supply of vital fluid; and after
pause of one or two minutes, two other
ounces OF blood were thrown in; soon after
this the pulse at the wrist intermtted, and
there was slight restlessness, or rather de-
sire to Change posture, but these syptoms
past away in the space of two OF three min
utes. In consequence of the occurrence of
these symptoms, it was deemed prudent to
wait awhile, and after lapse Of FIVE or ten
inmates the patient was evidently rallying
From this period the patient went on i'm
proving, and had not a single bad 5, mptom
which could be attributable to the opera
fi,.f sc
and of the chylopoetic vircera, were duly
performed; the temperature of the surface
of the body was of the natural standard:
neither was there any subsequent affection
of the .ensorium, which DR.. Blundell has
known to occur IN some cases after the oper-
alton of TRANSMISSION.
The syringe employed was of brass, and
well-tinned on the inside; to the mouth of
the syringe pipe was fixed, Of about two
inches in length, of the size of a crow S quill
shaped like pen at the end but with blunt
point
Before the blood was thrown into the vein
OF the patient, all air was carefully expelled
from the syringe by placing the mouth up
wards and pushing up the piston until the
blood appeared at the end of the tube at
tached to the syringe.
DIR Blundell observed, this case demon
strateu, beyond all cavil, that the blood OF a
man may be injected, by means of a syringe,
into the veins of a woman exceedingly re-
duced from hGmorrhage, without causing
death. Whether the syncope which occur
red after the injection OF the blood was the
result OF the operation, or of the previous
hemorrhage, may be disputed: and admit
ting the syncope to be the result of transfu
sion. we should be no more justified in reject
ing the operation on this account, than in
refusing to employ the lancet in other cases.
because it occasionally produces syncope.
As only four ounces of blood were inject
ed, Dr. Blundell admitted, that it might
fairly be questioned by some. whether the