The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1878-03-09
the CHICAGO MEDICAL JOUR
NAL AND EXAMINER.
DOUBLE ovARIoroMY
SAMUEL c. PLUMBER, M. D.

The number of this journal for March
1873 has been laid upon our table.
Among its contents, the leading articles
are the following:
= On Professor NussbaUms Operation. OF Nerve
stretching BY Sam1 +. Farrar M d.
The Use of Carbolic Acid by Subcutaneous In
lection, in the Treatment OF Eryspelas. By JAS s.
Observations in Practice, Surgery. Gynecology,
and especially Obstetrics. By.Geo. b. Walker, NJ
Double ovariotomy, By sam1 C Plummer, MD.
The operation of Ovariotomy is one In
which the highest surgical and profession
al skill, both in this country and Europe,
is but too seldom rewarded by the recovery
of the patient. The able and valuable
contribution of DR.. Plummersis of unusual
interest and importance to the medica
profession everywhere: and to the citizens
of this city among whom he has resided
for many years, it is a.. testimonial to hi
skill and proficiency in surgery which il
highly complimentary to him and mos
agreeable to bis many admiring friends.
Medical men wills recognize the points o
deepest interest 10 the case from the fol
lowing extracts. After describing the con
dition of the patient, the m0duS Operdn0s
the nature, size, and appearance of tn
tumors, and the appliances used, he sum
up as follows:
ITO the use of the drainage tube
"credit the recovery. 1t perfect
performed its purpose, and without
81 am fully persuaded success would hav
been impossible.
The quantity Of sero sanguineous nat
"ter discharged through the tube while 4
"situ, and after its dislodgment throug
'the puncture, was simply enormous for th
first seven or eight days. The quantit
was too great. to have been taken up b
absorbent action, and this great quantit
too, escaped after every means had bee
used too prevent the escape
fluids into the abdominal cavit,
'aud after all that could be re
moved with the long, pointed, hard ruI
der syringe, used for such purposes, hs
"5een evacuated. After this excessi'
discharge had ceased, the drain continue
''for some weeks, diminishing each d;
until it entirely ceased and the punctu
''closed.
I'm every instance where death has IT
suited from Ovariotomy, so far as my e.
"perience goes, and so far as | have BET
able to learn from others, septic8mia h
been the cause. Therefore, to preve
death from that cause, the drainage tul
should be used. 1t should be used
every case, no matter. how favorable al
how promising it msy be, for without
mo patient is free from that danger, al
with ii that danger is almost, if not e.
''tirely avoided.
Il consider it. to say the least, hazardo
practice to ligate the pedic!e or pediclt
cutting the ligatures short, and droppi
them with the stumps back into the a
"dominal cavity; for in very many, il n
in all cases, the ligatures thus left are t
cause of much irritation, il not, as
generally the case, Of peritoneal infau
"ation, with its consequences. When recc
''ery does follow such practice, it is slo
'otten not until the ligature has slough
its way through the vaginal or intestir
walls.
I'm this case, I attribute the recover
first, to the perfect drainage Of all matt,
from the peritoneal sac that could,
! remaining there, have resulted in sep
''cemia, and, second, to the withdraw
after separation, of the ligature used
: THE stump dropped into the abdomil
. | "cnvitv