Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-06-07

first paper was Immediately called for, emit
tied:
"Some Remarks on the Uses of Electricit,
In Surgery" Dr.. Carl Seller, Philadel
phia.
DR.. Seller opened by q little apology to th,
effect that his instruments, with which he
expected to illustrate his remarks had beer
delayed in passage, but would probably bt
here before the association closed its meeting,
when he would put them on exhibition Dr.
Seller remarked that many operations in sur
gerry might be simplitied and made painless by
the use of electricity. He then explained his
own electro. magnetic battery, which he ex
planned as we'll Ms possible without the pres
ence of the battery itself. He exp.tl4ted
upon it's simplicity, cheapness and useful
ness. The second point was reference 10
the surgical engine, used for Strengthening
traction by the rapid revolving of wheel
over the obstinate surface of mucns mem
braue would shave off the superficial layer
the cause of the trouble. After full de-
scription of this instrument DIR. Seller closed,
after again announcing that to morrow he
would have his two instruments on exhibition,
probably on Third street. HIS paper was re-
ferred to the committee on publication.
Remarks were called for, and Dr.. j. Prince
favored the use Of the ttermo cautery battery
as opposed to Dr. Sellers methods.
DR.. Seller answered the objections of DR..
Prince by explaining the greater utility Of his
instrument.
DR.. D. Prince, Illinois, inquired il the dy-
namO electro battery IN use for the electric
light was applicable Ito surgical purposes.
DR.. Seller responded that the dynamo cleo
tro battery was substitute, but as yet was
too large for use. He added that at Pitts
burgh doctor was perfecting smaller bat
terry which would be more servicable for use
in surgical operations.
The secretary announced that DR.. Van
D rveer, Albany, tho was to read paper on
':Cleft of the Hard Palate" had telegraphed
him that he would not be on hand, being de-
tanned by fear that the New York delegation
would be excluded, with the addition that he
would write.
"Alcohol as an An@sthetic Agent" was
the subject on which D.. j. G. Link, of Terre
q sute, Ind !, had partially promised to furnish
a paper, but he was not present, and had not
yet been heard from.
aAsTRoNoMY.
DR.. VIM. Hill, Bloomington, ILL.,, was not
IN attendance, but his paper, on "Laparot.
omy," as he first entitled it, or on "Gas-
tronomy," the latest name WHICH he had
given it, was read by the president, and was
in substance as follows:
&c ,stronomy, or Abdominal Section for the
Relief OF Intestinal Oostru ction, due to In.
tercessuscepton, or Imagination OF the
1leum within the C9cumo
This surgical operation has not been resorted
to prior to 1855. A case was detailed in DR..
Hills experience, of man who had eaten
some half ripe peaches. The ingestion of this
unripe fruit impeded digestion, and induced
fermentation, which continued after the entry
into the intestinal canal of the product of the
NAL digestion. The symptoms simulated those
of cholera morbus, except that the bowels
we're confined. Anodynes were at first tried,
followed by hot lamentations, and q cathartic
composed OF jalap and mercury, and soap
enema. All WIS unavailing, and with much
fear the doctors in attendance determined, on
The third day of the attack, on Opening the
abdominal cavity, though no precedent for
such q course could be found. The alternative
Was gastro1Omy or death. ChlorOform was
given, and an incisiOn four or five inches in
length was made, in the mediau line through
the lines alba. The operator hand was passed
into the abdominal cavity in search of the hard
substance, which had been felt through
tho parieties. An enlargement was
iouuu az tAO iiOOSoCSdA JAiiNeuACs 4AC
Of the ileun nearest the c8 .um was
grasped, slight extension upward made, and
the enlargement moved with the intestiDes.
The substance confined was cOmpressble.
After moments direct and gentle pressure
upon the portion of the bowel containing the
obstruction the impacted substance escaped
into the cncum and disappeared. No adhs-
siOns had formed and the patient was relieved.
Proof OF this was given by a free escape Of
,fr1 Gall he, ahopop
before he had fully recovered from the an@s-
tbetlc. The edges of the wound were secured
by Ave harelip sutures and adhesive plaster,
compress and tight bandages. The after
treatment consisted of auOdynes and hot
antiseptic surgery not then be-
Ing in vogue. The wound quickly united
and ON the sixth day the pins were removed.
After slight peritonitis the patient was able
to be out Of bed on the fourteenth day, and
in four weeks recovery was complete.
The doctor had been many times tempted
to repeat the operation in like cases, but
on account of medical opposition he had
desisted and his patients died when gastrono-
my would have been to them saving grace.
tine doctor is very pious man" was here
by the reader.]
A complimentary allusion was made to DR..
VIM. Byrd, OF Quincy, ILL.,, who has, the
paper stated, been brave enough to throw off
all shackles and dash to the front of progress
i've surgery. He has operated in at least four
cases of imagination of some portion Of the
intes'ines, obtaining most gratifying results
Mr.. q. Bcllamy, of London, also rep Orts to
the Medical Journal for March, 1879, case
in which he performed gastrOtomy for In.
of portion of the ieum, within
the recital walls The paper concluded as
follows: 81 think the results obtained IN the
preceding cases are full OF encouragement to
the surgeon, aud without further comment
the subject to your serious consid-
Grafton"
PRACTICAL COMMENTS.
Comments were called for, and DR.. Peck,
of Iowa, arose and after prefacing his state
ment with the remark that be was much In
terested in abdominal surgery, proceeded to
give his experience in the matter discussed in
the above paper, relating several cases in his
practice and giving his treatment.
Dr.. Halleck, of Kansas City, was the next
speaker. His experience had not had the
brilliant success detailed in the paper
by Dr.. Hill, nor that given by DR..
Peck. He detailed his trea ment of
negress who had partsken too freely OF
green watermelon. The patient died, but the
treatment Of the case, according to the doctor,
was the most successful that could be devised.
A second case was related, in which the patient
also died. These cases were q iven to show
that all such operations were not successful,
but ne believed it was the proper tire 4tment.
Dr.. Field, of Iowa, interposed objections to
the treatment described, and was answered by
Dr.. Halleck.
Dr.. W. Lee, of Chicago, said question arose
as to the proper time to operate. he earliar
the operation, generally the more apt 20 be
successful. But in many cases an operation
could not be performed in the earlier stages
of the trouble. He bore stress on the fact
that too much reliance could not be put on
the pulse and similar symptoms In these cases
of abdominal troubles. He detailed some cases
in his own experience.
DR.. Prince, of Illinois, related his expert
euce in the matter, explaining the great effi-
cacy of the bougee in such eases.
Dr.. Chas. D. Parks, H., gave three reasons