Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-04-02
sxtraordInary OperatIon In snrsery.

A New York letter 10 the Philadelphia
Press relates the facts pertaining to a re-
markable case of neuralgia and bold sufgis
cal operation as follows; ..., .t
Mr.. J. o. Fbrbesj o Citizen Of Hoboken,
ing handkerchief across the upper lip and
end of the nose, perceived a sharp, poignant
pain shooting from near the middle of the
ttper lin, on the left side, along the furrow
at the junction Of the nose and cheek, up to
the inner angle Of the eye Of the same side,
and passing deeper through the bone of the
cheek. The same pain was started when the
upper lip was touched with the tip of the
tongue, or when making an effort to swallow.
These symptoms assumed paroxysmal char
acter, with irregular intermiSsions, and con-
tinued TO occasion Mr.. Forbes intense pain
until the autumn of the same year. The next
spring the attack was renewed, and continued
until February, 1852, becoming more and
more painful. By the advice of dentist all
the teeth were extracted, being supposed
that the trouble might originate from disease
Of the teeth, but no relief was afforded.
Finding no relief from the use of internal
remedies, the patient consulted hospital
surgeon of eminence, with view Of having
an operation performed. In February, 1852,
this surgeon dissected, from the interior of
the mouth, without external incision, the
entire cheek from the superior maxillary
bone; the separation of the tissues extending
across from the nose to the prominence of
the molar bone, and vertically, from the al-
veolar border, as high rs the margin of the
left orbit. The relief afforded by this opera
ton continued until the close of the year,
when the same physician performed another
operation of different nature, which sub
dued the pain until the autumn of 1853, when
il again returned with increased violence,
galvanism being tried with no beneficial ef-
feet. InJanuary, 1854, an eminent Professor
of Surgery in this city again divided the
nerve, and cauterized it, which gave relief
until August of the same year, when SINH
lar operation was performed by another sur
geon, without any beneficial result.
The venerable Professor Mott then at
tempted the cure, and performed three opera
tions, which, although they lulled the ter
rible sufferings for a time, left no lasting i'm
preston on the disease. The patient then en-
tered the New York Hospital, and remained
there until August, 1855, when, having re-
ceived no benefit from the treatment pre-
scribed, he took. his discharge, and was
brought by his friends, in a condition border
ing on delirium, to consult DR.. Carnochan.
The medicines considered of most repute in
cases of neuralgia having been exhausted,
and the nerve being divided without perma-
nent benefit, DR.. Carnochan determined to
exsect piece of the trunk of the infrd-orbitaI
nerve. The patient could at this time neither
rest, sleep, eat, drink, nor talk, without the
occurrence of paroysms of the most violent
character, so much so that he would threaten
self-destruction. This operation by excision
afforded more relief than the previous ones
by division or incision of the nerve.
The relief proving of short duration, the
patient demanded another operation. His
desperate condition iustifying resort to des-
perate means, in February, 1856, DR.. Carno-
chan laid open his face trepanned the an
trum maxillare, separated the trunk of the
second branch Of the fifth pair from its con-
nections as far as the posterior part of the
antrum, and exsected about an inch of the
nervous trunk. The pain disappearing, the
patient considered that cure had been eff
fected by this dangerous operation, and en-
gagged in business in Panama. In oonse-
quence of exposure the pain again appeared
with much severity in March, 1857, and Mr..
Forbes was again obliged to relinquish his
business and return to New York. He again
applied to DR.. Carnochan, and five more OPP
erations were performed on him, making
fourteen in all The fourteenth and ldsi
proved satisfactory. 1t consisted of the ex-
section of the remaining stump of the trunk
close to the foramen rotundum, in immediate
connection with the ganglion of Nickel, thus
insulating that ganglion and its branches
from the encephalon. ... ..'.H
Professor Carnochan believes that the phe.
nomena of this neuralgia can be explained
with as much precision as in any other dis
ease which is well understood. He has NJ
doubt that in cases of the most aggravated
form, whatever may have been the origina
exciting cause, the real seat of the disease il
in the trunk of the nerve, in front of tn,
Gasseridn gdnglion--in some part of it, or il
the whole of it. may add that this opera
ton has been the topic of laudatory com
ment by several of our most distinguishe,
physicians and surgeons, and adds anothe
, to the many striking performances that hay
placed DR.. Carnochan among the foremos
operators of the age. .....