Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-10-12
Or. Carnochan's Account Of his Recent Sick.
ness.

PKn1Ls OF A SURGEON WHO DIss EcTs CADAvsR.
From DR.. Reese's Medical Gazette for October
AZ the meeting of the New York Medico-Chi-
Turgica College on the 18th inst, Prof Carnochan
being unanimously requested to z We some account
OF his recent sic knees stated that the malady from
which he had been suffering during the past six
or seven weeks arose from the examination Of tue
cadaver Of a dropscal patient, who had also suf-
ferod from ovarian troubles. the liver and some
other organs being also diseased. The autopsy
was made In some haste, and no opportunity was
afforded for obtaining lard or oil for the protection
of the hands The contents Of the abdominal cav
ity was still warm, though life had been some
hours extinct. Having laid open the abdomen,
and abso bed tue accumulated guild by sp0nyss
the hands Of the operator were passed into the
cavity, and the diseased organs Were sought ont
aud examined The wound being sewn up be
washed his hands, and he had not punctured
them during the necropsy, nor could perceive
aTy abrasion Of the skin, he was not alarmed
when, in the evening Of the same day he fet tie
ends Of his hnoers somewhat painful Next
morning the fOrefuger was swollea as II affected
with fe;on still he would not believe that any
trouble was to b. appreheDded, and remedial
meesur' Were adopted. The Inflammation how.
ever, spread, anu the pain increased
The following day the ma!ady seemed TO be
gaining ground and in the evening tue swelling
extended to the wrist. He naturally become
alarmed, and soaked his hard In lev but II was
too late; the v'rus had been absorbed and the
symptoms continued to increase In intensity The
generally swollen Initiative fever surervsued
and suppuraton commenced about the hand. ac
companfed with considerable hardness In the
Affected paris. He called In eone of his medical
flends, and sf~r consultation openings we re-
made on the forefnger, the back of the bap and
higher up on the arm The evacuation of the
Pns cid not diminish the pain, but, on the con-
nary, se-med sometimes rather 10 aygrayate IL
After one Of the incislons he became perfectly
Frustrated with agony. the digital nerve being
probably In part vided As the ds.ase pro,
crossed he became typhoid from the absorpti on of
the virus, and was treated with brandy ouinine
and stimulants. symptoms of pyemia also an
Peared- The brain was stunned and he remem
bsrs scarcely anything for two weeks. By degrees
the malady spent its force, and the pain began to
rbside; but the amelioration was slow and yery
dill rent from that Of an ordinary traumatic lesion
or the special points Of interest in the case one
was the zymotic influence Of the virus Useemed
70 have power Of generating new morbifc cor
pusclss and propa gated itself In all direction
with considerable rspidity Thus the inf,mm,-
ton speedily invaded the whole of the hand, sti a.
ening the fingers. so that fears were entertained
Wat the use OF that member might be entirely
Lost Thence 1t spread upU ard throug b the lin b,
Dut happily 1t was arrested before invading with
any very considerable virulence the axilIa which
was the prncipal seat Of suppuraton In the recent
iamentable case Of DR. De Sa. Young Brazilian
physician, who recently died at Paris from a
diSecting wound In tie thumb