Baltimore commercial journal, and Lyford's price-current. [volume] (Baltimore, Md) 1840-1849, 1848-02-05
"CHIOROFORM."

Neill Esq. the Surgeon of the Eye and Ear Intirm-
airy in this town, several gentlemen, eminent in the
medical profession attended on Tuesday last at the .
Opthamic Institution to witness some operations for
squintiug upon patients while under the influence OF
"chloroform," a agent, said 10 produce complete
Inconsistencies, more easily and more ctlclently .
than sulphuric ether. The agent IS very pleas
ant TO the palate, and yields delightful perfume,
not much unlike that of ripe apple, or good sherry
wine. Its inhalation produces the most dellGhtlui
sensations, and in the OF minute or so, state
of the soundest somnambulism. Sulphuric ether, on
the contrary, is very dagrccablc both to the palate
and oltactory nerves, and is much longer IN producing
the required result 1t also produces great nauSca
and has not always been administered without acting
for time somewhat injuriously upon the nervous
system.
Among the medical gentlemen present at the Opth-
amic Institution, Tuesday, were DIR. Fomnby. Dr..
Sutherland, the talented editor Of The Health OF
Towns Journal, DR.. lmlach, Mr.. w aide, Mr. fllg-
gnson, Mr. Biggcrstcth, DR.. Hunter Robinson, OF
Birkcnhc ad, author of a pamphlet on the sanitary
state of that township, and many gentlemen connect
cd with the hospitals and dispcnsarics Of Liverpool
Mr. Ncill previous to operating upon either OF the
patients, gave short history Of the discovery OF
ether agent to produce inscnsbltv TO pam, and
lastly, of ''choroiorm, a pleasant and salts
factory substitute. In the course Of ms remarks he
noticed curious facts of the choric ether having been
first used and recommended TO Professor Simpson by
DR.. Formby, and chlorotorm having been also re-
commended TO the same gentleman by Mr.. W aldie,
chemist of the Liverpool ApothccaricS' Company,
who pointed out to the Professor the advantages TO
be derived from its use.
The patients selected on this occasion were TOUR
Young females the only bemish TO whose round and
handsome faces was that they had each rather more
than can interesting cast Of the cyc'-ln fact that
they squinted very badly. The operation whereby
this afiiction be totally remcdied necessarily
painful one, though happily one OF very short dura-
ton it would perhaps, be unbearable by any per-
acted upon III the natural state.
The clorolorm administered in the three tigst
cases, through the medium OF haudk crchlc held up
TO the nasal organ and mouth, and, inscnaib!llty
was produced the patients were operated upon by
Mr.. Neil, in the most successful manner; but the
fourth case furnished triumphant instance OF the
power OF the agent, not perhaps that the DINER
would not have been equal 10 II II the assist
ants had been used TO their work. w lth the cNpe'
rence furnished by tn m the requisites necessary to
most complete administration of lii. chlOrotJrm, by
of the sponge, were systematically and noise
essly executed, aud the patient was speedily thrown
into state Of complete uncoasclonSness, during the
inhalation of the vapJT through the spJng', WhIch Of
course allows free passage 10 the atmospheric air,
her countenancc presented a most p!tasuraJ!r eN-
pression did ii alter the least during thr trying
moments of the operation. She remained in sound
slumber for several moments afterwards and did not
evnce the slightest sensation Of feeling when repeat
edy pinchcd by many OF the gentlemen present. In
this case, the eye turned 50 completely nWard>,
that greater force with the tUrccps was required, and
had the patient been operated upon in her natural
state, the pain would have been PToPortonably cN-
crucatng. Upon waking t. consciousness in about
a quarter Of an hour, she said she not aware
zeal gentlemen present thought this case furnished
most excellent test Of the efficacy Of the mt,
and vote Of thanks was unanimously passed to MIR.
NELL by the gentlemen present for the opportunity
he had afforded them VI witnessing these interesting
experiments.
All the four patients thus completely cured
of obliquity of vision, and being out patients, were
enabled 10 walk TO their spcctvc homes in an hour
or two aitcrthc operation had been performed. Upon
inquiry, in the course OF the afternoon, Mr. Nclli
found them all in excellent health, and thankful for
the service that had been rendered 10 them.
Experiments With r0tmm-Sevcral important
and most painful operations performed on Thurs
day, at the " orkhousc Hospital by DIR. +. II Brett,
in the presence Of the stall, and other gentlemen,
when the new agent for producing insensl0Iity, was
administered with entire success II the following
The first was the of Elizabeth Birch, aged %,
affected for years with inversion OF the cycds Eu
tropon) causing inflammation Of the eye by the con-
slant irritation Of the ashcs against the globe. 1t
was necessary to make perpendicular lncIslon at the
other angle of the lids and to excise portion OF the
skin of the upper cycd 10 introduce a suturc, and
partially evcrt the lid By means of ligaure pass
ed through the margin OF III lid, this last being
cured the forehead by strips Of adhesive plaster
The patient in a state Of perfect inScnsibhy
the whole Of the time.
The second was a case Of strabismus
The third hydroc-ic, which, after tapping. was
followed by injection Oh the sac, with solution oil
iodine.
The fourth operation was for cataract which being
of soft nature the drilling method through the cor
nea by means of delicate needle, was selected, the
fluid portion of the soft lgnticlar body being freely
exposed TO solution in the aqueous humor
The fifth that Of dividing the tendons be-
hind the knee Joint (thc hamsrlngs) in both legs Of
Bridget MaciIc. The woman had been cripple
for three years. bent double, and bed -riddcn-thc
legs now straight, and are to be kept On splnts
for short time.
The sixth case was that Of young woman, named
Elizabeth Fcwcll, who had been discharged from
the hospital as ncurable, from rScto-vagnal comnu-
nication, complicated with several tumor' deeply
situated The parts being freely exposed by the
speculum, clean wound made Of the former
and the morbid growth completely cXtirPaied; NO
operation could well be conceived more panluI than
this under ordinary circumstances, yet the poor girl
was taken TO her bed, in perfect trance, and was
quite unconscious Of any part OF the operation.
The seventh precisely OF similar nature
in young woman named Ann AcNeF: Shc nai
been much dcbilitatcd, but under remedies 10 i'm
prove her constitutional power nOurlshng diet and
wine, she sufficiently restored in health TO ia
dergo the operation. The choroform, however, hap
PLY saved her from any knowledge Of the operation.
She awoke complaining bitterly that she was not TO
undergo the operation which she had been 50 long
promised was to relieve her from complaint, the
most distressing to which female can be subjected,
until she was assured that all was over.
The eighth, and last, case of scroiulous dis
of the knee Joint, in which II was necessary to
remove the limb in girl, aged SIX years. his
child knew nothing OF what was gong TO be donG--
the chloroi0rm kept her in utter lnscnsIby OF what
was DONE and she only awoke 10 be conscious OF the
absence of limb, the seat of protracted disease,
which had nearly exhausted her vital powers.
DR.. Burgess administered the chloroorm, merely .
Supplying on lint to the mouth and nosrlls whilst
Drs Gee, Bride, and Mr.. j. Ferguson, with their
usual tact and humanity, rendered every requisite |
assistance
The patients, on coming to, seemed to be excited
in a not dissimar from the effects Of over
dose Of champagne.
BRITISH WEST INDIES.-THE TARIFF OF .
JAMAICA.