OHIO STATEWIDE FILES - Lindsay Journal #1, PART 6 *************************************************************************** OHGENWEB NOTICE: All distribution rights to this electronic data are reserved by the submitter. Reproduction or re-presentation of copyrighted material will require the permission of the copyright owner. *************************************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Helen Silvey Helen_Silvey@macnexus.org http://jpaul.gwdi.com/silvey/ January 8, 1999 *************************************************************************** Continued Operation of Adipose Tumor Reuben Grimes. Aged about 40. was called to operate Sept. 30, 1831 had a Tumor on the shoulder of many years standing, was of Adipose character, was gradually increasing in sise, operated by making a Longitudinal incision of about 5 or 6 inches in length. through the skin. was found to be incisted, which I dissected out without any difficulty. The Tumour probably weighed 8 oz. dressed by taking a couple stiches & Adhesive strips interveining & outside. On the 4 or 5 day dressed again & the last time. wound healed completely by the first intention. This Tumore was situated over the Deltoid Mussle, which I cut into a little in operating, but did not produce any injury or lameness in the shoulder. This I must confess was rather awkard of me. & should another case similar present. should be more careful not to be guilty of the like blunder. I forgot to mention that my friend Dr. W. Mount then of Eaton O. was present at the foregoing operation, whose friendly assistence and advice shall ever gratefully acknowledge. Jany. 7. 1837 W. Lindsay I would here mention that the cases which shall be recorded in filling up the balance of this note book, will be cases, some of them of importance. however consider them of such as to entitle to a place some where. Another act would mention that they do not appear in the order of time, in which they occurred, but intending to record some importent cases of Amputation, Trephining &c which would take up more room than the balance of this record book will accommodate. have concluded to reserve them for another place. W.L. Levi Antrim Cancer of the Lip. Previous to coming under my care, had been under the care of several Physicians, had been laboring under the disease 25 or 30 years. had now arrived to the advanced age of about 70 years. Among those who had treated his case had been under the care of a Dr. Hindman for the last three months, a professed cancer curer, & had undertaken on the condition of no cure no pay. Treated him with a secret med. which in its effects was very severe. having some nights walked the floor with the pain induced as he informed me without being able to sleep. At length HIndman pronounced him cured. but in a few weeks the cancer was again vegetating. A law suit now ensued. the Dr. brot suit for his fee which Antrim refused to pay. On trial H. plead that he would yet cure him if A. would again submit to treatment. The J. P. decided against the Dr. giving for reason in his verdict that he (H) had had sufficient time to cure it, & that it was unreasonable that his patient should longer submit to being punished & tormented by his Escarotic particularly as he the dr. had at one time promounced him (A) cured. Previous to calling on this Dr. Cancer, I had been consulted, & gave it as my opinion that the knife promised the best prospect of cure. & that I would undertake his case should he think proper to submit to the treatment proposed. But having met with much encouragement from Dr. H. concluded to give him a trial first. The result of which has just been detailed For many years my patient had worn a black patch confined by ribbon around the head. And as the cancer was seated on the upper lip, was a matter of public notoriety. The cancer was situated on the left side of the Labia Superiora between the left Angle of the mouth near the left nare of the nose occupied nearly the whole substance of the Lip. So that in the operation, I cut a piece out through & thro making a fisure similar to the letter v inverted (^) which made a fisure in the part of ghastly and formidable appearence. which was made more frightful from the Hemorrhage produced from cutting the Superior Labial Artery which bled profusely, having in an instant filled the patients mouth & throat so as to threaten strangling & suffocation. I must acknowledge myself that the hemorrhage was so great as for a moment almost to disconcert me. to see my patient strangling from it, & at the same time streaming down his bosom greatly to the injury of his linen & clothing. However I succeeded without any difficulty in taking the artery up, & securing it with the silk ligature. In 5 days I dressed my patient for the 2d. & last time. the incision having completely healed by the first intention. and am happy in having to say with little eschar or sycatrix. & as in bringing the wound together by a stich & Adhesives in so doing smoothed a wrinkle which existed from age at either Angle of the mouth, the Symatry of the part was rather improved than otherwise. Antrim paid my bill of $5, with much satifaction. I would in conclusion remark that in the cou(r)se of a year or two my patient went to the St. Joseph Country in the northern part of the State. Since which my Brother Chip Dr. Hindman circulated a report that the cancer had again returned which altho I did not believe in the correctness of the report must say occasioned me much vexation & anxiety. But to set the matter at rest I addressed a letter to Mr. Antrim on the subject who informed me that his cancer had not returned, & he had no fears that it ever would. at the same time authorised me to make any use of his letter I might deem proper. Mr. A. informed me that his father died with cancer, & had been treated by Dr. Rush. This is a matter of some doubt with me whether or not the disease may not be constitutional. in his case. However have no fears of cancer ever reappearing in the part operated on as I am confident of having removed it en mass. and should it Hydra like make its appearence on some other part, I am not responsable. & should have nothing to charge myself with. Jan. 7. 1837 W. Lindsay Jacob Coalman laboring under Tumour of the Breast which I presume was of scrofulous character. called on me in the summer of 1828. The Tumor of the left breast as large as a hens Egg. On examining it found it to contain superative matter. which on being opened discharged freely. But little of the previous history of the case is now recollected. The tumor or abscess continued to run something like a year. and during a considerable part of the time was an extensive sinus ulcer. having formed sunuses to a considerable extent under the Pectoral Muscle and deep as the Ribs, being located between & over the 2d. 3d. & 4th Ribs. The sinu(s)es ran in various directions & had 2 or 3 outlets near the connextion of the Ribs with the Sternum which could not be followed with the Probe owing to the circuitous direction which they took, but were known to be connected by throwing in. with the P. Syringe. The discharge was generally very thin, & frequently abundant. various treatment was used during the pendency of the case, internally & externally. As an external treatment sometimes Emoluent Poultises soothing applications & such as simple cerates & digestive unquents were tried. At other times irritating & stimulating dressings were tried. and discouraged with all these sometimes endeavered to produce a healthy change of action by cutting into the ulcer with the knife. Sometimes trimming out a part of the ragged and indolent edges of the sinues, hoping by this means to change it into the nature of a simple incised wound. all of which did not seem to produce any immediate good effect. As internal medicines, The Car. Iron. & the veg. Tonics were alternated. & becoming discouraged with these . the Iodine was tried to some extent, also Mercurials as a part of the routine were resorted to & for a long time apparently with the same unsuccessful results. After having nearly exhausted the materia Medica. the Arcenic was injected & applied in powder this was attended by some unpleasant consequences, producing much swelling of the surrounding integuments, and much tenderness & soreness, at the same time attended by much distress, and irritation of the general system. so much so that the effets were deemed somewhat hasardous at one time. This last treatment after these unpleasant symptoms subsided seemed to have been singularly beneficial. As the ulcer not long afterwards completely healed up. And believe the cure has been permanent. Jany. 7. 1837 W. Lindsay Splitting Foot with the Axe Son of Jacob Delawta. Mr 27. 183(2?)7 was called to this boy12 or 15 years old who had by an unlucky stroke of the axe cut thro the great Toe of the left Foot partly within the upper joint. the axe passing up between the Metatarsal bones of the 1st. & 2d. Toes. splitting the foot on the upper side up to the Instep. & on the under side about 2 1/2 or 3 inches, was but little hemorrhage, dressed by 2 stiches below & 4 above with strips of adhesive intervening, passed one around the great toe, & several quite round the foot, & lapping over the ends on the upper side. In this case was a complete union by the first intention, had completely united & sycatrised in about 14 days & soon after was able to walk without use of crutch. being little lameness. Had the bone not been cut, as it was quite off, or through & through there would have been nothing in this case worth recording. but when the fact of so complete a union of the bone as there must have been in comparatively so short a time, have considered the case of sufficient interest to give it a place with other ordinary ones: This case occurred during my residence at Germantown O. and I now make the record nearly 10 years afterwards. Jany. 9. 1837 W. Lindsay N.B. Last fall year ago had a similar case, occurred in Richmond, present residence in the person of a man by the name of Gipson (Leas?) This case differed in not being cut so extensively. was not quite divided through the sole of the foot. and in dressing concluded to trust to the Adhes. Emplas alone, in this case was not so successful as the one above detailed. the failure I attribute to the neglect of the suture, or not making use of the stiches, consequently failed in keeping the cut so completely approximated as in the other case. The diference of age, probably had likewise something to do in the matter. W.L. Peter Albaugh's child. having got a sprig of cedar Top in the Esophagus. 23d Mr. 1827 was called in great haste 5 or 6 miles to extract it. The child at the breast, found it unable to suck or swallow, any fluid. The parents, Mother particularly very much alarmed. On examination could just see with much difficulty the upper point of this substance, which from its peculiar formation & nature, was imposable for the child ever to have swallowed, or eject. I succeeded in my first attempt in dislodging & extracting, by means of the dressing curved Forceps, to the very great gratification of myself, Mother & friends. I dont recollect that I have ever been more caressed, or ever in my practice was the occasion of more satisfaction & rejoicing. Jany 9, 1837 Richmond Ia. W. Lindsay Wm. Kinger. Extripation of Tumour from his left Side. Operated on him 30th. Dec 1828. The Tumor was about the sise of a hens Egg, was pendulous, or loosely situated under the skin. In operating unfortunately cut into it (the sack), altho, believe it was completely incisted, & think I missed it much in thus evacuating its contents, which was of about the consistence of cream or healthy puss. which emited a remarkably fetid odour. The operation gave a great deal of pain, in healing found it very troublesome, & tedious requiring a time of 7 or 8 weeks, had I succeeded as I should in dissecting it clean out with its inveloping membrane, presume I should have succeeded much better in effecting a cure. I am at a loss to give the this tumor a name, perhaps that of Melicerous may be appropriate. and as regards diathesis, perhaps Strumous, in character. The period of cure was attended by much pain & suffering to the patient, produced much loss of flesh & consequent debility. This much have the satisfaction of stating that the cure so far as I have had any opportunity of knowing has been permanent. W. L. To be continued Helen, Sacramento ***********************************************************************