The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-01-26

especially the nature OF the case G os'~sa-
tson requires COZ siderable length Of tine,
would strongly recommend taa prior use
Of inhalation Of prrs alcohol fcr several
minutes just be1ors administering ire
anaes.hetic Experiments maze VITA
animals have demonstrated tha; 1t IS Al
rnt,st ar iTpposs.oility to XIII enc with the
first named mixture where the prior use
u alcohol has been made az above men
toned. ! was orce caiiei 70 assist IN
railway scciatu; where the engine had
rolled down an enlbarkrnsnt and the en-
g.neer laged "a years and N GOOD heaiin),
Was securely pinioned by 1t being caieht
in the wreck hy tho lower limbs below n2;h
knees when l arrived on the ground his
suffering was almost unbearaolc and be
was begging the hys;aHders 10 XIII him
AMI pu; him GU; OF his misery. knowing
from the coniltItr OF the wreck, and tbs
distance from the wrecking ouint tina.
several hours must elapse before he could
be released from his position, ! gave him
two ounces OF brandy and allowed him %
inhale the varor Of alcohol for FIVE min
utes. then began with the first nanot
mixture Of anaexthetics ard kelt him IN
der partial anaesthesia but sufficient for
bunting the sensibility cf pain, ana
sometimes reaching a state Of uncon-
sciorsnoss for twenty-nlre hours. IRIS
was followed fo-ty-eiEhi hours later b.
smputation Of both limbs below the knees
ne Iaf&tIlt t@GDl EtdSA4Als As-E4s a.l-s
was discharged from the hospital In due
season The same party d!ed three years
later In a dental chair after lnhaling
chloroform straight for the purpose Of
having teeth extracted. ! firmly believe
from actual tests made with 81 In my re-
ggil4r practice, that where the first named
anaesthetlc mixture Is used following an
inhalation Of alcoholic varor and no or
gsI t. diseases OF the heart, or OF the Larger
blood vessels or fatty Degeneration OF the
heart exists; and where a partial anaes-
thesia IL desired, and for an iniehnate
period, no inaesthetic is as yet known
to the profession that will equal 1t. l 90
not infer by this that II should be adopted
and used in all places and at all times
nor do / presume TO instruct hospital ana
city surgeons that have every facility Tor
handling their cases: hut TO the local sur
geons that are thrown on their own re-
sources / will say, If you Rave occasion
to use 1t as have done you will ma that
it Will not disappolnt you.
OPERATIONS FOR COMPOUND AND
DEPRESSED FRACTURES OF THE
skULL~-By DIR. j. X. Stuart, Company
Surgeon Of the Houston and Texas Cen-
trail Railway, Houston.
Mr. President and Gentlemen Of the So
ciety. Truly the most interesting class Of
surgical cases that are brought within
range of the railway surgeon for operative
procedures arc those Of cranial injuries.
It is not my intention to discuss the sub
ject Of cerebral locailzation, nor will I
theorize as to the probable outcome Of
certain cases II certain conditions existed
but wish to state in a few sentences the
better procedure to follow when called
TO the bedside Of a patient with frac-
tured skull
Although there is a vast difference IN tho
effect upon the patient Of a depressed
fracture that Is not compound and one
that is both depressed and compound, the
mechanical procedure In either case are
Identical
During the greater part OF my profess
sional career II has been my fortune to
he identified with the medical department
OF ono of the largest railway systems
OF our State. This position has been the
means of enabling me to see numerous
cases of injured men annually and under
all circumstances and conditions. My life.
therefore, gentlemen, has been one or
unusual activity. Very little time do l
have for the pursuit OF theoretical knowl-
edge In tho rapidly advancing science of
surgery and when read the journals and
attend the surgical conventions Of the
year my Investigations are generally end
ed. Truly. my father was correct when
he advised diligent application while a
student as the years would pass ard re-
pass without my being able to make ad.
ditional research. Therefore the views
that | hold upon the subject under dis
cussion are entirely practical views The
theory OF the class room has resolved
itself into the practical experience OF
every day life. Wounds OF the scaln heal
rapidly I assert this fact positively. all
though some authors hold to the onInIon
that wounds of the scalp are more rrone
to suppuration than wounds in other To-
calities. recall n nationt whose g.
had united within three DAYS and we
were obliged to reopen the wound and
remove some more bone. After this Soc
ordarv opcration urinary mic, a,,,,o.l
and the patient went on to an unjnter-
rupted recovery Therefore. in .-1axirp
flaps for operation upon tho hone. -,
the skull the surgeon mead feel ~, an
prehenslon from large incision or
course the operation. in fact all onerat,o,s
should he performed undor s,rin, i',,,9
septic rules. We must also realize No,
In the brain we have the most dc,lcoto
OF all mechanisms and the ordinary rro-
cautions guarding against Infection sbo,,,5
be doubled
For operations unon the cra,,r a..
-,,r,o1,, .ha,,fa - e, 'le