Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-03-11
wonders of Modern Surgery.
+ From the Philadelphia Ledger.

From the Philadelphia Ledger.]
The progress of modern surgery is most In
terestingly discussed in an article in the March
number Of the Atlantic Monthly. The first
great and radical step in modern progress, was
in the introduction of what the doctors call
onasthetic agents. Ether. was brought into
nce IN the 30th of March, 1854, by DR.. Nor
ton. of Boston, who extracted tooth from a
man without pain, by first putting him under
the influence of ether. DR.. G. jackson, the
peoogist, claims to have made the first sugges-
tion Of ether, and did, unquestionably, suggest
great caution in the use of it. Chlorotorm was
Uncovered by Sir J. Y. Simpson, a surgeon OF
Edinburgh, Scotland, on November 4th, lS47:
Now no operation OF magnitude is performed
without the aid of insensibiity to pain, pro-
duced either by ether, chloroform, or some
other anesthetic agent. 1t seems as far back
as the thirteenth century the idea of painless
onerations was carefully considered, but though
treated of by one Theodore, was apparently
laid aside as practically useless.
The chief effort of the old surgeons was ap-
parently to produce insensibility in the subjects
in inAicting suffering. By the local application
of a sufficient degree Of cold, insensibility can
be produced in any desired part, so that man
with most exquisitely painful wound on his
arm, or felon on his finger, can now look quiet
Iy down, in his perfect senses, upon the knife
as it enters his own body and performs the
most difficult operations without giving him
the least pain Modern science has construct
ed an instrument by which a vapor OF ether, or
other volatile substance, is thrown out IN the
form of spray, which so rapidly absorbs the
natural heat OF the parts Of the body exposed
=, fo
bility to pain, without tie loss of volition OF
consciousness. This evaporation is so potent
that the great Faraday was able to produce ice
in a red hot crucible. DR.. Henry j. Bigelow,
of Boston, has introduced the use of rhigolene,
a product of petroleum, which is extremely
volatile, and will freeze up the skin and tex
lures beneath in few seconds, fifteen degrees
Of cold below zero being easily produced IN
few minutes.
Artificial legs and arms are now manutactur-
ed which are light, and have all the move
ments of natural joints, by means OF springs,
cords and wheels, and are so perfectly adapted
to use that it is by no means easy to discover
which is the natural and which is the artificial
limb, when the wearer is once used to wearing
the work of art. One man boasts, II can
carry. an armful of wood quite handly,' or
carry pail of water with ease )" and another
says, 'I was fitted with a pair of artificial
hands, and can feed myself very well with
them; also can write so as to be read. " Anoth-
er declares be has driven horse twenty miles
on the coolest day without calling on his other
hand for assistance" This is great improve
ment on the iron hook, which is the best sub
stitute that old surgery could atfix to the
stump These artificial limbs, however, are
trlumphs of mechanical ingenuity, rather than
OF surgery.
A French surgeon has invented an instru-
ment he calls the erdseur, or crusher, to per-
form operations dangerous in surgery on ac-
cunt Of the loss of blood from the smaller yes
sells if performed with knife. 1t is formed OF
a fine chain gathered into loop, which encloses
the part to be removed, and by turning screw
the chain is tightened until the parts are sepa-
rated. The blunt chain 80 turns up or twists
the ends of the blood vessel that hemorrhage
is prevented. A child was born with a tongue
so much too long that it protruded three or
four inches from her mouth, so that she could
not masticate food, or shut her mouth or speak,
Yet when about fifteen years old, under the
influence of chloroform, the erascur was applied,
the superfuous portion of the tongue removed,
and now she talks, sings and eats with easc
The eye is now examined by an instrument
called the opthalmascope, by which the depths
of the globe Of the eye can be readily and FULLY
explored, and through its aid q great deal OF
what has been written and conjectured about
diseases OF the eye has been found to be wrong.
The intricate passages Of the ear, the nose, the
whole Of the windpipe and passage OF the lungs
are now carefully explored. Perhaps one OF
the best results of modern science has been
through what is called conservative surgery,
the rule of which is to save all that possibly
can be saYed from the amputating knife. Many
OF our brave soldiers complained ofthe reckless
haste with which, In the late war, some sur
geons would cut off arms and legs on account
ooftrifing wounds. The complaint was often
just.
But one of the most distinguished surgeons
IN the world has lately written: AT Kings
College it is rare to see an amputation : IN nine
cases out of ten, excision Tor cutting out OF the
diseased portion of the limb) should be per
formed in its stead" A poor boy at the West
Was caught under falling log, and his leg
broken, crushed, and twisted upon itself at
ight angles with bis thigh, the bones protrq4dd.
ing through the flesh, and no doctor near. tie
AVed, and was, after weeks of suffering, taken
a hospital. Modern conservative surgery
sawed off the protruding bones, turned the leg
oack again to its place, and put on an instru-
meat to keep it Of equal length with the other,
ana now that boy stands, runs, and jumps with
Two sound legs, instead ofamputatlng the limb,
aS the old-fashioned surgery would have done.
FANCY GOODS AND NoTIoNSi
FANCY GOODS AND NOTIONS
RLES W. CIR E E N,
No cQ KING STREET.