New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-01-07


European surgeon has had wider reputation.
Permit me- ladies and gentlemen to far digrcss from
SUBJECT OF my discourse as to make an appeal In be
presented than IN the language OF one of his bographers
says: CDR. Mott performed greater number OF capital
surgical operations than any surgeon who ever lived
monals OF respect and esteem from medical literary.
and scientific societies, both domestic and foreign 1t
he adorned and illustrated should make recognition Of
his services that those who may come after him may
city which he adorned done for his momory The tender
affection Of a beloved wife has consecrated to his
aT but by the citizens of this great wealthy
and liberal metropolis there has been made no snbstan
New-York has done for men justly distinguished as
atesmen, military chiefains, and for Others to
proprety ask whether the debt OF obligation lessened
by the fact that the courage science, and sk OF our
human suffering and TO the saving Of human life In
Great Britain measures have been taken to erect nos
Scotch surgeon lately deceased; and TO Americans an
appeal has been made to contribute In aid OF the fund
required. A similar testimonial 10 the memory OF Dr.
Mott II seems to me, would be emnently appropriate.
AMPUTATIoSs
In the amputation OF diseased and broken limbs sur
gerry has made very great advances in modern times
First by the substitution Of the gature for the cauter
izing irons and other barbarous modes OF arresting
hemorrhage as has already been stated. Lately. how
ever has been proposed to substitute for the gare
method technically known as "acupressure;" ana by
mended and practced. Both of these methods OF pro-
cedure still under Judgment and they viii not de-
the most important questions In amputation Is that
which relates to the period of time after the receipt OF an
injury at which il is most safe to operate To determine
this question, the hours, days, and weeks succeeding
upon the accident are divided into periods; termed
ate" and Secondary" but which shall name for the
sD on continues in most from six to
II hours second the period OF moderate reaction term
mating usually within "A or ~ hours; thlrd the elou OF
Inflammation extending
reaction takes place TO the tenth or fourteenth Day more
or less and fourth the period Of suppuration. com
parson OF the results sufficient number Of accurately
recorded cases has at length determined that ine
safety The second, period of moderate reaction Is
the most fayOrabe the third or period Of Inflammation
is the least favorabe the first and fourth periods o9e
plying about the same rank namely less fayoTaDie la
the practical differences drawn from these facts 49, that
the first duty that surgeon upon the field OF battle mas
cases co In Which the limbs demand smp1taon is to
administer little wine, with few words OF encourage
taken place, the condition is more favorable z success,
Another question, undetermined until within few
is at what point s i most safe to make an ampa
tered destroyed as high as the kneeont, will it give
knee, or avoid this Joint and remove with the leg
portion of the thg Fifty years ago, Joint amputations
larger experience carefully costed have proven that
this opinion erroneous and we have at length been
the greatest Importance the patient who is to suffer
amputation namely that in all cases the surgeon must
the question whether in so doing he Is compelled to
amputate at joint or through the shaft OF bone.
ing to hpjont amputatons) has at last ana by one OF
our own army surgeons, Deen dSclaeG, nancy M
necessary the only alternative remaining 70 make an
immediate primary amputation at this joint after
gunshOt injury. In ALL 70 immediate and primary am
puatons at the hpjoint have been made for gunshot
determined Up to the period Of late war there was
not an authenticated example of recovery In 1861,
geOns declared that 1T not yet proved that
aton at the hipjoint was deserving OF place among
France taught that primary Ia at tse mp wrs
sbipSen surgeon Of Volunteers in the T. s. Army am
putated the thigh Of James T. Kelly at the hpjoint on
the receipt Of the injury and the man st lives and IS in
the enjoyment of perfect health There were also two
ton was made at the same period and the patients
yved several months but their final histories could not
traced The possibility Of recovery after the opera
tion having been determined 1t Is now believed that with
the improved means OF %e e
shall in future be successful III larger proportion OF
cases.
But amputatons have with some reason, been classed
among the opprobra OF profession nasmuch they
propose only by oblation of the diseased limb.
They imply confession that the disease injury is be
yond the of art and that life only be
preserved by ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF the body. Modern
surgery has therefore sought to nterpose some less Sc
cases in what is termed resectOn excisiOn For e
ample, Joint such as the elbow the shoulder or the
become manifest that the general system can 10 longer
endure the local disturbance without extreme danger TO
life the surgeon first considers whether excelsior of the
joint ends of the bones may not ne substituted ior amp
atOn since experience has shown that by this procedure
the diseased or injured structures may be often quite
ms e1ectually removed as by an amputaOn, and
with no greater risk to life, while more or
has been found that the limb although shortened has
retained all Of It's original strength and latitude Of mo
ton and is quite useful IL originally In other
cases IFS usefulness is impaired by the operation, but
there only required some mechanical support TO re-
crop Ct.1N he
OPERATIONS Of excison are however. not limited TO
the Joints. We practice excelsior Of such parts OF the
bones demand removal In any portion Of the shafts OF
long bones smaller bones are frequently excised entire
and in few instances the practice is extended To the
whole OF the shaft of long bone. But what VIII surprise
you most in this connection is that We find
that with proper management, taking care TO
make the operation at suitable time, and
the immediate Investment Of the bone large portion Of
the structure and in few instances the entire
namely, Oseogeness, has been especially studied within
the last few years and the practical results already at
Anaplasty or the repair and restoration OF mutilaed
and lost parts, has been practced for long time Ia
gacozzi acquired, about the middle OF the sixteenth
century great celebrity in the construction OF noses
whom the loss Of the inflicted a. penalty for
various crimes constructed noses from the skin OF the
forehead and this IL the method now generally adopted
by surgeons but which, in the progress Of time has
undergone many changes and improvements, that if
Roman nose, after the most perfect models may
at least insure TO our patients nose entitled to respect
and sometimes deserving Of admiration
In like manner surgeons OF our day do not hesitate to
attempt the foundation OF an eyed or to supply the loss
Of any portion OF the cheeks, and in other
eve dsguremens of the face neck caused by burns
and other accidents. great number Of these opera
tons have been made by surgeons the close
the TO remedy those terrible defonnes caused by
gunshOt wounds
HEALING OF ULCERS BY TRANSFORMATIONS.
Before leaving the subject Of plastic surgery must
call your attention to truly wonderful discovery which
has Just been made by young surgeon, NJ Reverdin,
at the Hospital La Charlie in Paris. There are
certain ulcers and wounds Of integument which, solely
their extent have hitherto been considered