The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1870-02-10
Surgical Operations.

the Canton Repository and Repu6lt-
can:
Mr.. EDIToR.-To the seeker after
knowledge, no other science presents
more varied and interesting subject
for thought than does that of medi
cine; and particularly that depart
nent of it coming under the head of
surgery. And in no other science
has there been greater or more rapid
advancement within the past ten or
twenty years than in this. Surgical
operations which but a few years ago
were deemed extremely hazardous to
perform, and in fact which few sur
geons ventured TO undertake, and |
many lives are saved yearly that, but
for this advance in medical science,
would be lost. By the timely aid of
the surgeons knife valuable lives have
been prolonged for months and even
years, which otherwise would have
suceumbed to disease in a few hours
or DAYS at most.
Interesting instances illustrative of
this are frequently reported for the
medical journals, but as few persons
beside medical men read these jour-
nails, and as the common reader would
no doubt be interested in their peru
sal if given in language not too tech
nical, your correspondent ventures to
present your readers with statement
of few that have come under his OBJ
servation.
In this vicinity, within the past year,
there have been six deaths from OBJ
struction of the bowels. This term
obstruction of the bowels is used by
medical men to denote some mechan-
ical hindrance to the contents of the
bowels; such as the formation of solid
concretions in the bowels, having
their seat generally in the fexions of
the larger intestines; the Introduction
of one portion of the intestine into an
other directly above or below it, thus
completely closing the cavity of the
bowel "a folding or twisting of a
bowel upon itself; strangulation, by
which is meant the passage of a small
portion of the bowel through some
rent or abdominal opening in some of
its surroundings, as through, the dia-
phragm. ...-.,.-..i.r
A post mortem examination of some
of the six persons before mentioned,
showed death to be the result of one
of enumerated. The last case of
this kind, was that of Mr.. J. Belding
of Randolph, aged sixty-fouF. He was
first cognizant of obstruction i'll his
bowels on Dec. LIST. 1t came on grad
ually, that, for time, he experienced
but little inconvenience or pain con-
tinuing at his daily work until the
evening of the Sd met, when the dis
tension of the abdomen becoming very
great, he applied to his physician for
relief. For three days his attendants
did their, utmost to remove the OBJ
.struction, but in vain. The patients
strength failed constantly, and he was
about succombing to the enormous
enlargement of the abdomen, when at
J a council of physicians, consisting of
!, J. & E. W. Price, Randolph, Belding,
Leonard, Wagner and Greenlee OF
} Ravenna, it was decided that an op-
!, Grafton was the only chance of saving
the patients life, even if it were not
, already too late, as by this time NOR
> :tificatien of the bowels might already
: set in. The decision of council was
carried out by special request of the
Epatient; Drs. e. W. & J. Price, assist.
ed by the above named gentlemen
performing the operation. The abdo'
: men was laid open from the umbillicus
downward a distance of seven inches
and search made for the seat of the
disease, which was found at the juno
ture of the large and small intestines
:, The intestines were enormously dis
: tended from the collection of gas
within: and the ileocaecal valve which
permits the passage of matter from
the smaller into the larger intestines
: was found to be firmly closed, wheth
er owing to some concrete substance
or to the pressure of the gas within
. the intestine could not be ascertained
9 By skillful manipulation the bowels
Q were relieved of their gas, the closed
3 valve opened, the pent up mattel
= above passed freely into the larger in
! testines, and the patient found almos
: instant relief. But it was found tina
! gangrene had already perforated th'
: larger intestines. The opening how
. ever was closed, and there is no rea
son to suppose it afterward reopened
The wound in the abdomen healed
rapidly, but owing to excessive
exhaustion and extensive infam
nation before the operation, tn
patient died in. three days afterward
His physicians, and those acquainted
with the case, are confident had tn
operation been performed sooner, tn
patieut''s life would have been saved
d Another Interesting surgical operation
e was performed upon the person o
d Mr.. John Cope of this (Marlboro
l. township, by Drs. J. s. E.. W. Pric
l. with the most satisfactory results. o.
IF the evening of the 18th of Oct. last
D, Mr.. G. suffered strangulated Hernis
e He was first seen by his physician o
W the day following, who made ever
d effort to reduce the tumor, but in vair
v It was evident from the appearance c
le the tumor that modification woul
1T soon take place unless relief wa