Clinical Researhes in Electro-Surgery

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1873 edition. Excerpt: ... Scirrhus of two years' standing involving the whole right breast.--Pain relieved by external treatment, but electrohjzation with a strong current does not appreciably affect the growth. Case XVIII.--Mrs. D, a lady of middle age, observed, during the winter of 18C9, a very slight enlargement on the right breast. Its growth was exceedingly slow until June of the following year, when it rapidly increased in size, and in two months it had involved the whole breast. She first consulted, in this city, Dr. Wm. H. Van Buren, who pronounced it a case of scirrhus and referred her to us for electrolytic treatment. We found the tumor to be remarkably hard, involving two of the axillary glands. The patient had for months suffered very great pain, while the arm of the affected side was so lame that it was impossible to lift it more than a little way from the side. External applications relieved the pain very decidedly, and improved the condition of the arm so that she was able to use it quite readily. On Dec. 4th, 1871, in the presence of Drs. Nott and Metcalfe, we etherized the patient and operated by introducing into the upper portion of the tumor four three-cornered needles, insulated to within one inch o the points. The current was from 36 zinc-carbon cells, and in tension sufficient to deflect the needle of our galvanometer some fifty degrees. The needles remained n position twenty minutes; and although the current was constantly passing, the effect on the substance of the growth where the needles pierced was barely appreciable, while the skin, covered by the large sponge of the positive pole, was well-nigh blistered. The needles utterly failed, and we were forced to content ourselves with the relief afforded by external applications, not attempting the...