Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1860-05-24
Amputntlng a Limb Under ChIoroform.

We will take quiet post of observation in the area
the operating theatre at one Of our metropolitan hos
rta in this year OF our Lord, 1860. Notice is posted
that amputatOn of the thigh will be performed at two
O'clock T. NJ, ana we occupy our seat ten minutes be-
ere the hour.
The area itself is SMALL of horseshoe FORM and sur
rounded by seats rising steep incline above an
other to the number of eight or nine tiers From 100
100 students occupy these, and pack pretty closely,
asDecaly on the lower rows, whence the best view is
obtained For an asSembage of youths between eigh-
t1 and twenty-five years. who have nothing to do but
ia wait theyeare tOlerably we'll behaved and quiet
Three or four practical Jokes however, it is evident
distributed among them, and so the time passes all the
quicker for the rest The clock has not long struck two
when the 0dngdOo open and In walk two or three OF
He leading surgeons of the hospital, followed by staff
Of dsers and few professional loOkers-on the latter
being confined to seats reserved for them the lower
and nnermos tier A small table, covered with nStru-
mens occupies place on side Of the area water,
Dongs towels and lint are placed on the opposite. The
surgeon who is about to operate rapidly ganceS over the
table, and sees that all his instruments there and in
readiness. He requests colleague to take charge OF
the urniuuet and with word deputies one assistant to
take the flaps" another to hold the limb, third to
hand the Instruments and the last to take charge of the
sp0nges.
This done, and while the patient is inhaling chloro-
form in al adjoining apartment, under the care OF a
gentleman who makes that his special duty the operator
history of the circumstances which led to an incurable
disease of the left knee JOINT and the reasons why he de-
Cded the operation about to be performed. lie has
rcey Closed when the unconscious patient is brought
1 by couple OF sturdy porters and laid upon The
meratng table, SMALL but strong and steady erection,
four feet long by two feet wide, which stands in the
centre of the area The left being the doomed leg, the
hight is fastened by bandage to one OF the supports OF
HE table so as to be out of harms way while the
dresser who has special charge of the case, is seated on
low stool at the foot OF the table, and supports the
left The surgeon who assists encrcles the upper part
dtbe thigh with the tourniquet placing its pad over
The Pmoal artery, the chief vessel which supplies the
limb with blood and prepares to screw up the lnstru-
ul thus to make that considerable amount OF
The vital fluid can be lost. The operator, standing on
The left side of the corresponding leg and holding IN MS
right hand narrow straight knife, Of which the blade
least ten inches long, and looks marvellousy bright
and sharp directs his eye to him who gives the chloro
n and awaits the signal that the patient has become
perfectly inSensibe. All is silence profound; every
assistant stands in his place. which is carefully arranged
50 as not to interrupt the view Of those around.
The words quite ready" are no sooner whispered
lan the operator, graspng firmly with his lett hand tne
Sh which forms the front part Of the patients thigh
TRUSTS quietly and deliberately the sharp blade horizon
tally through the limb, from its outer to its inner side
that the thigh is transfxed little above its centra
axis, and in front of the bone He next cuts directly
dWnwardS in the plane OF the limb, for about TOUR III
cS, and then obliquely onward, so as to form lap
which seized and turned upwards out OF the way by
appointed assistant similar translation is agar
made, commencing at the same spot, but the knife Il
uS time carried behind the bone a similar lnclsor
-oWS and another flap is formed and held away as be
lore Lastly with a rapid circular sweep round tn
bone he divides all left uncut and handing the knife t.
40 assistant who takes it, and gives in return, tn
aator divides the bone with few workman-Ek
Strokes and the limb is severed from the body A rust
hog sound of general movement and deeper breathing
heard among the lOOkers-on who have followed wit
STAINING and critical eyes every act which has conrlbr
led to the accomplishment of the task and some one
younger students is heard to whisper to his nelgf
Dor, Five and thirty seconds not bad, by Jove J!
The operator now seats himself on the stool just va
Gated by the dresser who has carried away the Leg an
seeks ID the cut surfaces before him the end OF the mai
artery on which to place ligature. There is no to-
blood, only little oozing, for the tourniquet hole
"'es current hard and fast Only five minutes uncol
1oed TOW OF the current from that great artery, no
perfectly compressed, and patients career IN tn
Sgrd would be closed forever. How is it permanent
ad IN check? and what have we to substitute nOwfC
1e Missing, sparkling, and sputtering irOn and the boz
lg pitch? The operator takes hold of the cut end
Tue artery with slender, delicately-made pair of fo
cIS and draws it out little, while assistant pass
round the end so drawn out lgature OF very line viii
Co tine but strong, and carefully ties 1t there with
ouOe knot, and effeCtualy closes the vessel A s
Ia process is applied to perhaps six or seven other
smaller vessels, tourniquet is removed and no bleedi
GSues. Altogether, the patient has lost little mo
laa half pint of blood. The flaps are placed in Q
position, the bone is well covered by them few stitch
IRE put through their edges, some cool wet lint is
led all around the stump, and the patient, sumberi
PEACEFULLY, is carried off to comfortable bed ready pl
pared IN some adjacent ward. Half an hour hence tn
Suent will regain consciousness, and probably the fiji
oeVation he makes will be, I" am quite ready for t
Peatlon when is it going to begin p And it tax
IF fha oil 10
make him realize the happy truth. article: Und