OHIO STATEWIDE FILES - Lindsay Journal #1, PART 1 *************************************************************************** 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 *************************************************************************** Journal No. 1 Richmond Ina. April 13th 1836 This is intended as a kind of Diary, or Journal perhaps, common place book would be more appropriate, In which I design noting some of the most important cases of Surgery which have occurred in my practice. Other cases of disease hereafter, besides those under the department of Surgery may find a place as well as occurances of a promiscuous character, as recipies, &c. &c. (At this point Wm. Lindsay includes an index and it is preceeded by the following [Helen Silvey - great granddaughter] ): Asphyxia Congenital Page 13. An old Man an acquaintence (I. Charles) was cured of old ulcerated Leg as he informed me by a cerate composed of Lard in which the Large sarsaparilla was simcred to which Some Propotional of Spts. Temp. was added before cooling. This sarsaparil is said to have a root as large ones wrist. Myself am unacquainted with it. (Near the end of the index Dr. Lindsay includes this case:) Expulsion of Tape worm Philip Replogle's Son aged about 12. was called to him (in summer of 1825 or 1826). & found him complaining of much pain in Stomach & Bowels, some slight fever, considerable restlessness & general irritatibility, gave an emetic, next day found patient about the same, administered Cathartic PIlls, composed of Aloes, scamony, Gamboage &c. On operating produced expulsion of a Tape Worm between 5 & 6 feet long. W. L George - man of color Case 1st Fracture of the Crannuim. This case having occured some years ago, the notice I shall now take of it, will be from memory. This was a case in which, in common with the Physicians of Laurenceburg this State where I then was located as a Physician was called in Consultation. This unfortunate individual having been so imprudent as to address a Love Letter to a white girl, a young man then paying his addresses to her, undertook to chastise buffee for this insult. And as the argumentum ad homineum was considered rather to mild in the case, the argumentum ad baculinem was made choice of which being applyed with a liberal hand, the t results was a fractured scull. The fracture was in the Os Frantis, on the right, I think, lateral portions extending into the Parietal bone. The appeared to be some depression, accompanied by some of the usual symptons. The particular state of the pulse, do not now recollect, one of the symptons was an effort to vomit. Drs. Percivale Father & Son were the principal operators. The operation was peformed in the usual manner, at this late period have but a very imperfect recollection of appearnces after a portion of bone was removed. I think the membranes were not injured. This unfortunate individual was ina few weeks restored to apparnet health, whether his faculties recd. any injury is rather a matter of some doubt. At all events his moral powers did not seem to be improved. As he was some months afterwards convicted of Arson viz of burning the Barn and Stables of Col. Pike. the veneable father of our lamented hero, Genl. Zebulon M. PIke. & George of course was sent to the work house. This case occured in the year of 1823. W. Lindsey Congenital umbilical Hernia Mrs. Maxwell was on the 22d. April 1836 delivered of a fine Female child, whose Parturiant case I had the management as Acouchier. The peculiarities of this case was that of an aggravated congenital umbilical Hernia. the protrusion of bowel within the calibre of the umbilicus was about that of a common sized orange, the convolutions of the bowel were pretty distinctly seen thro' the semitransparent Fumis umbilicalis, which in this case was clustered with sacks of serious accumulation. on some parts of the cord at short intervals for the distance of about Six inches, which extended some distance beyond the ultimate protrusion of the Hernial Sac, This being, with me, an unusual case, my friend Dr. Griffith was sent for before any attempt was made at reduction, the Dr. having arrived, on a slight examination of the case, unequivocally concured with me in my diagnosis, with whose kind assistence without much dificulty succeeded in the reduction Per Taxis. After which a Ligature of narrow Tape was passed around the cord as close to the umbilicus as posable, (having first lubricated it with melted tallow.) the object of which, of course, was to prevent the posability of the bowel again protruding, to induce the adhesive inflamation or union by the first intention. & at the same time by the lubricaton on the ouside. guard if posable against too much inflamation. After, also, passing a Ligature around the cord in the usual places the now superfluous portion of the Fumis was cut, a compress of linen applied over the umbilicus, Secured by the abdominal bandage which finished the dressing (Dec. 5.) The foregoing case required Med. attention during a period of something like 10 days. during the time much attention was necessary in keeping the Ligature properly adjusted which had to be reapplyed several times, as the union of the rupture progressed much suspense & anxiety of mind was experienced by the mother during the pendency of the cure. which was completed in about 14 days. W. Lindsay Case 2d, of Trephining which occured in the winter of 1822 & 23 The subject of this case was by the name of Moseby, a resident of Ky. nearly opposite Lawrenceburgh. where I then was engaged in the practice of Med. Moseby, in company with a number of others, in a Public house at the Town of Aurora, Ia. 4 miles below Laurenceburgh, happened to get into an affray, being at the time a little intoxicated. The Landlord threw him out at the door and then threw a mattock at him before he had time to arise, - It was thought that the axe part of the mattock struck him, at all events the Crannium was found to be extensively fractured, which extended a little anterior from the joining of the Frontal & left Poarietal bone, The fracture where the instrument hit him was probably about 2 inches in length, extending th(r)ough both tables & rupturing both Membranes of the Crane. from this point or deep fisure, were a number of diverging fractures. I attended this case in company with Dr. John Percival Such was the injury in this case that an operation was deemed necessary. Several fragments & spicula of bone and hair were carried by the blow within the Cranium, After some 2 or 3 months of confinement, Moseby recovered, & was considered not to have suffered any injury in his mental faculties. During the cure a great many spicula of bone were discharged from the fisure & inside the cranium. also a small portion of the substance of the Brain itself was lost, and Fungous cerebri, was found one of the difficulties attending the cure. which was treated by Compression & a part of the time by the applycation of the Red Precipitate. In the summer of 1822 was called to see a boy, aged about 15 yers - son of _________ in case of simple fracture of the Os Humerus. -- Having set the arm, applyed first the many tailed bandage, over which simply 4 splints, & over these a roller. In a few weeks my patient was quite recovered, & succeeded in preserving perfect symetry of the arm. Pro Burns Piles &c. R. Nine bark say 1/2 or 1 lb 1 Gal. or more water boil the roots first nicely cleaned. having simered an hour or two remove the roots, & add say one Teacupful Hogs Lard which simmer down until the water is dissipated. The above is said to be very valuabe. Aron Smith This Recipe has the authority of a somewhat selebrated Empiric by the name of McKinsey of German Town O. & was prescribed by him for a man laboring under occasional hemorrhage perhaps bronchial Rx 3 oz. ol. camamile 4 " Bals. Gilead 2 " ol. woormwood 2 " Ext. Liverwort 2 " Seneca Snakeroot Diseased Testis John Elliott -- aged about 25, by occupation a Painter & chairmaker. called on me early one morning (In the spring of 1825) in extreme pain from an inflamed Testis. The history of this disease, or in what way induced is not now particularly recollected. The Patient had labored under Syphalis, & Gonorrhoea, & think there was something like a sequale of the disease still remaining. but in what way treated am not informed.--In the present case, which was soon followed by a high degree of Fever, Bleeding, and cooling aperients, together in conjunction with soothing Emolient poultices were the Antiphlogistics resorted to, & I would add perseveringly. but the resolution which was anticipated or hoped for was not realised. supuration soon followed, and on making a puncture with the Abscess Lancet. a large quntity of supurative matter was discharged. So high did the inflamation & consequent fever in this case run; that the recovery of our patient, for a period of a week or 10 days, was despaired of. In the course of 3 weeks or thereabouts, swelling and inflamation had pretty much susided. the discharge from the tumefyed part during this time, (from the time of its being Lanced,) had been copious, which, with the decrease of swelling & inflamatory symptoms gradually dimished. In about 4 weeks the patient was able to walk about the room, tho' yet very feeble. what I consider most remarkable in this case; on the subsidence of the tumefaction, & swelling, the Testis was found still t be highly diseased being in, what I supposed, a schirous situation. which made its appearance in the form of a spungy or Fungeous vegetation, if the expression be admissible, which I treated with the red Precipt. for some time as an Escharotic. This application for some time, seemed, slowly, to promise a cure in the destruction of this sprouting state of the part, but by degrees again seemed to have become less efficient, & the Testicle still continued to shoot out, something like what would term, luxurient granulations. The Lunar caustic was next applyed without obtaining a much better result. At this Stage of the case my next application was a highly consistent & concentrated extract of the Sour, or Sheep Sorrel. (The botanical name of which dont recollect). A few applications of this, completely destroyed this organised schirrous part of the organ. & in a short time afterwards, my patient was dismissed as cured. & so long as I was acquinted with my patient afterwards he had no return of the disease. perhaps it would be in place to mention that this member was almost entirely destroyed, being but a very small portion remaing at the time my patient was dismissed. I have in conclusion to say that my reading does not furnish me with a parallet case: At least not in detail. My attention was called to this preperation of the Sorrel by a Mr. Atkins, then a Teacher at Lawrenceburg Ia. where the writer of this article then resided. Mr. W. a gentleman of Science informed me that this preparation of the sorrel was the secret preparation of a Cancer Doctor who some years ago resided in cincinnati, & acquired some fame in that way. At the time, this preperation was a confidential matter. Mr. W. the last I knew of him was at the village of Cleves Hamilton Co. O. engaged to some extent in this practice of Med. & was a Justice of the Peace, Post Master &c. This Ext. was prepared from the expressed Juice of the Plant. slowly reduced to the consistent state used, by being exposed to the hot rays of the sun in a Pewter dish. The Oxalic acid which the Plant is known to contain, is, undoubtedly, the active constituent in this preperation of the sorrel. My friend Dr. W. Mount now of the vicinage of Cincinnati, (once) saw the foregoing case with me. To be continued... Helen, Sacramento ***********************************************************************