Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1845-05-17

ID that we feel bound to place it before our readers
PROM THE SOUTHERN MEDICAL suRGIcAL JouRsAL.
Ertirpation Of the Mamma Of a female IN ne Mes
n,eric sleep, ,othout any Evidence q seasat,hiy
during the operaiion. By L. n. Dugds, MD.
Professor Of Physiology, &C. IN me Medical
College Of Georgia.
On the Sd January ls45 Mrs. Clark (wie OF Mr. JESSE
CLARK Of Columbia county, Georgia. came to this city o the
purpose Of getting TO schrrous tumor Of her glt
which had been gradually increasing Tor the last three
years. and which had attained the size Of turkeys egg
The tuno caused any pain Of consequence, was
adherent the skin, did it mpcate any OF the ax
larry glands Mrs. o. about ory-seyen years Of age ana
her health though BY robust pretty good and
had not impaired by the evolution of the umor The
operation having been determined upon for the following day
Mrs c. remarked to that she had been advised by MI
Kenrick be mesmerized but, she knew nothing about IT.
she would like to have my advice and would abide by IT.
which replied that there several well authenticated
record in which surgical operations had been perform
ed under mesmec influence without the consciousness OF
patient that would be happy to test the subject in her
and that would endeavor to mesnerze her instead OF
operating had been proposed, the day following
On the 4t January IL o'clock A. M called on Mrs
G. and was informed that the preceding evening she had
been put sleep by Mr. b. Kenrck a whose house she
resided then mesnerized her myself and induced sleep in
about fifteen minutes. Finding my patient susceptible to the
mesmerc influence and rejecting that would not be con-
enen for the person to maintain TINS influence aha 70
perform surgical operation at the same ne requested s
kenck to esmeze Mrs. g. morning and evening al stated
hours until nsensby could be induced This was regular
" done with gradually increasing effect when, on the even
ing Of the 9th of January sleep was induced In hve
the prick of pin attended with no manifestation OF
pain The sngs continued and the patients lnsensi-
bty daily tested by myself and others in various ways On
the 9th January invited Professor Ford to be present. and
after prickng and pnchng strongly the patent without eS
dence Of PAIN the mesmezer was requested 70 e Ion
when we exposed the breast handled roughly In examining
the tumor and readusted without the
of the patient We then held her nostris vial OF srong
spirits Of hartsho which she breahed freely tor minute OF
without the least indication OF sensaon unless he iact
swallowed be regarded such instead OF mere
reflex action On the 18th Of January in presence OF Pro-
essors Ford and Means addition to the usual MADE
with my pocket knife incsion about two inches In engh
and half inch in depth into the patients LEGS without md
cation of sensation. -.
Fully satisfied now of our power induce total nsenslbty
to operate on her the next day at noon but
carefully concealed any design from the patient and her
friends who did expect its performance un several Gays
later. :, :,
On the 18th January at 20 minutes past III A. M Mrs
c. was put to sleep oryfve seconds, without touch or
pass Of any kind the facility with which the mesmeric iniu
ence produced having gradually increased at eacn suing
AT IL O'Clock NJ, in presence OF Professors Ford Means,
Carvin and Newton and Dr. Halsec, the patient being IN
profound Sleep prepared her dress for the operaon and
requested my professional brethren to note her pulse resP
on complexion counenance, DC. before durng ana amer
the aputaon in order 10 detect any evidence Oh pain OF
modification Of the functions. AS Mr. Kenck had never
witnessed surgical operation, be feared ne might lose ms
selpoesson, and requested to be blndoded wheh was
done He now seated himself the couch the patient
and held her hand in his during the operation Thus was ac
compished by sllpca incsons about eight inches IN
LENGTH comprehendng between them the nipple and consl
deabe portion of the skin, after which the ineguments We're
dssected up in the usual MANNER and the entire mamma re-
moved Il weighed sixteen ounces. The wound was heh
M open about three quarters of hour in order to secure
bleeding vessels six Of which were gated The ordina
dressing applied and all appearances OF blood carefully
removed that they might not be seen by the patent when
aroused The amount OF hemorrhage rather more han
is usual in such
During the operation the patient gave indication what
of sensiby, any Of the functions observed oy
those present. modified the least degree She remained IN
the sound and quiet sleep as before the use OF the kn
Subsequently the pectoa muscle which had been laid bare
twice thrice TO contract when touched with the
sponge removing the blood About fifteen minutes after
the operation uemuous action was perceived IN he lower
Jaw which nsananeousy arrested Ivy the application OF
mesmeIzers hand the patients head This phenomenon
required in about minutes AFTER and again IN the same
quoted Professor Ford who counted the pulse and
respiration that before any preparation was made Tor
the operation the pulse o. and the respiration 10 per
minute that moving the patient arrange her dress for
the operation and Just before this commenced the pulse
49, and the respiration II that Immediately after The
detachment Of the breast the pulse was go respiration not
counted and that after the final adjustment OF the banoages
and Dress which required the patient be raised and moved
about the pulse %, and the respiration l6 All present
in stating that neither the placid counenance OF the
patient the peculiar natural blush OF the cheeks exp
renced any change whatever during the whole process
that she continued in the profound and quiet sleep
which she before the operation with the exceptions
above and that had they not been OF what was
being done they would have suspected from ndlca
mons furnished by the patients condition.
The patient having been permitted sleep about half an
hour after the final arrangement of her dress the mesnerizer
made passes the Of the operation order to lessen
its sensby and aroused her in the usual MANNER when she
engaged in cheerful conversation with Mr. Keck and nv
SELF though she had suspicion of what had taken place
then introduced to her the gentlemen, who had placed them
selves be by her awakening and observed
that had invited them to in during her Sleep IN order
that might fully test her nsensby preparatory to the
operation After few minutes OF conversation, asked her
when she would like to have the operation performed to
which she replied the the BETTER she was anxious to
get home added, Do you really think that could re-
your entire breast, when asleep without your know
ledge " Answer "Why, doctor, the fact is, that from
the various experiments told you have made on me,
| really do not know what to think OF it, Well ma
dam, suppose perform the operation one OF these
days. and to inform you Of when you should awake would
believe and could you control your feelings on finding
that it had been done " Answer :" could not suppose that
you would deceive me- and Of course would be very glad
but would try not to give way to my feelings Have you
perceived your arrival here do you perceive,
No. SIR il feels about has done for time back
About quarter Of hour having elapsed since she woke
then told her that found her proper state for the ope
ration had performed and that the breast
ed She expressed her ncreduy, said certainly Jest
ing impossible that it could have been done without
her knowing at the time, feeling any thing of II now
She became convinced only carrying her hand to the part
and finding that the breast longer there She remain
ed apparently unmoved for few moments when her friends
approaching congratulate her. her face became flushed ana
she wept unaectedly for time The wound healed oy
the first intention.