Ponola [sic] weekly register. (Ponola [sic], Miss.) 1843-1843, 1843-03-29

God pleases.
Ainputation of the Leg during a state
of somnipathy.
The first case of a surgical operation,
as far as we know, ever performed in
this country, was detailed in the fourth
number Of the Magnet. The following
extraordinary relation is from the Lon
don correspondent of Journal Of Com
merce:-N Y Magnet.
The most extraordinary surgical op-
peration has been performed, the par
ticulars of which will be found detailed
in couple Of columns of the Morning
Herald Of the Goth ult James Wom-
bell 42, laboring man, had suffered
for period Of five years with pain
FIJI affection Of the left knee Joint. He
was admitted into the hospital at We'll
low in Nottinghamshire, and it as de-
cided that an amputation should take
place above the knee joint, and it was
accordingly done while the patient was
under the influence of mesmeric sleep!
On the Ist Of October his wonderful
| operation wasthus performed, as given
in the words OF the mesmeriser, one
Mr.. w. Topham, lawyer of the Mid
die Temple, London; 81 again r1esmcr-
| ised him III four minutes. In quarter
OF an hour | told Mr.. ". Squire Wood
(the operator.) that he might commence.
| J then brought two fingers ofeach hand
/ g,nily in contact with Wombell's closed
| cIelids, and there kept them still fur
tier TO deepen the sleep. Mr.. Ward
a Ter one earnest look at the man, slow
ly plunged his knife into the centre Of
tie cutter side Of the thigh, directly TO
tic bone, and then made a clear incison
rpund the bone to the opposite point on
the outside Of the thigh. The Stiffness
a this moment was something awful
| The calm respiration Of the sleeping
nan alone was heard, for all others
we're suspended. In making the second
ipcision the position ofthe leg was found
to be more inconvenient than it had ap-
peared, and the operator could not pro-
coed with his former facility. Soon af-
ter the second incision a moaning was
heard from the patient, which continued
al intervals until the conclusion. 1t
gave me the idea of a troubled dream
7 for his sleep continued as profound as
ever. The placid look of his counter
ance never once changed, for an instant
his whole frame rested uncontrolled, in
perfect stiffness and repose: ROT muscle
or a nerve was seen to twitch. To the
end of the operation, incIu ding the saw.
ing of the bone, securing the arteries
and applying the bandages-occupying
the period ofupwards of twenty minutes
he lay like a statue. With strong
salvolatile ana water, he gradually and
calmly awoke, and when asked to des,
cribe what he had felt, thus replied: 8
never knew any thing more, (alter his
being mesmerised,) and never felt any
pain at all; once felt as if | heard {
kind Of crunching.' He was asked i
that was painful; he replied, No pair
at all; never had any, and knew moth
ing till was awakened by that strong
stuff The 'crunching' was the saving
his own thigh bone. The first dressing
was performed in mesmeric sleep, will
similar success and absence of all pain.
/ This case is so important, that have
condensed its principal features, ant
when consider the gravity with which
the operation was surrounded, the mum
bers who were present, the unquestion
able rank and responsibility ofthe pro
fessional gentlemen, and the utter a