OHIO STATEWIDE FILES - Lindsay Journal #1, PART 2 *************************************************************************** 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 *************************************************************************** contintued Congenital Asphyxia Such have I concluded to Nosologise the case now to be described. In the spring of 1824 was called on as Accoucheur to Mrs. Jacob Fielding. nothing remarkable attended this parturient visitation, the presentation natural, duration about 5 hours. pains not very good, waters discharged early, no malconformation of Pelvis, had had several children all at the full period. Some born dead (still born), none survived the month (if I mistake not). Mrs. F. was of delicate stamina, cicumstance of resuscitation. after about (20 minutes) or a half hour's apparent suspension of the life of the Infant. means resorted to; warm bath (Tepida), friction, & occasional attempts at inflating the Lungs by blowing into the Mouth. probably the success of this case was owing in part to the great anxiety of the Mother (which prompted unusual exertion). As all symptoms of animation & life appeared to be extince at birth, & for a considerable time afterwards, as above stated. Such was the joy & satisfaction consequent on my efforts & success in this case that the Parents named their son for me. The last I knew of this family, were residing about 14 or 15 miles North of Laurenceburg, Ia. & W. L. Fielding then 2 or 3 years old was a fine, promising, healthy boy. This record being made several years subsequent to its occurence. do not recollect all the circumstances attending. with the clearness of precision that a recorder should! -- however feel condent that I am substantially correct. Richmond, Ia. W. Lindsay Femoral Amputation Matthew Frank Aged about 28. years, In the month of July 1826 called on me for advice in case of an affection of the Knee Joint. Stated to me that some time previous when playing at Ball. felt, for the first time, pain in the part, by the time he consulted me his knee had become quite painful, & swolen, supposing his case to be something of Rheumatic character, various applications were made during the summer, among which were Linaments, epispastics, &c. consequent to which treatment, in conjuntion with the internal use of the Gu(a)iacum, this affection of the knee became much better. During the following winter he again resumed his accupation. viz. that of a shoe maker, and was able to use the srap & Lapstone with out much inconvenience. In the following month of May, I was called to visit my patient at his own residence, his knee at this time having become much worse. And was now confined to his bed. In a short time the knee became enormously swollen, & in spite of every thing done suppurated, the Left knee was the one affected & the matter seemed to point most prominently to the left & outside of the joint where I Lanced it, but in a few days afterwards matter began to point to the inside of the knee, which I also gave exit to by the abscess Lancet. The discharge was very abundant, & remarkably fetid. mostly thin, & of a dirty bloody colour intermixed with white supurative matter, the pain stil continued very excrutiating, & by this time the bones had evidently become affected, including the whole joint, & some distence up the Os Femoris, having formed sinuses, as was evinced by the probe & the injection of milk & water; also a communication had formed between the external & internal parts opened by the Lancet. as when milk & water were thrown in by the P. syringe at one opening, a part of it would be discharged at the other. so soon as I suspected the bones to have become thus extensively affected, Drs. Dubois & Treon were called in council, & at a second meeting Dr. Espich of Germantown was also called. Amputation was now determined on, & was performed about 6 inches above the knee. In about 3 or 4 weeks afterwards the stump had nearly healed & medical attention dispensed with. and my patient dismissed cured. W. Lindsay N.B. This case occured during my residence at Germantown Ohio, & I now make this record of the case dec. 6. 1836 o or 10 years afterwards, consequently at this lapse of time do not particularly recollect all the attendant symptons of the case. but so far as here noted, altho' from memory, know I am substantially correct. W. L. N.B. In the foregoing case of M. Frank, on examination of the Limb after it was amputated the heads of the Tibea & Fibula were found much affected, corroded & carious as well as the articulating head of the Femoris with these bones, forming the knee joint. and as the patient had become much prostrated; to have restored him to health with an anchylosed joint, would have required much greater demands on the constitution, (and the vis Medicatrix Natura) than could, reasonably, have been furnished, or could reasonably have been anticipated. W.L. Hydrocele case 1 Jacob Harry, aged about 42. On consultation (examintion) found had been laboring under Hydrocele many years, which at this time had become aggravated, & the parts much enlarged. He had consulted with several Physicians, who left him in doubt with regard to the Diagnosis of his case, some had suspected Hydrocele, others Rupture, & protrusion of Abdominal viscera. Previous to this I had examined his case & satisfied myself that Hydrocele was his disease. Having called my friend Dr. J. H. Buel then of Easton, on a careful examination he concurred with me in opinion. Having explained to my patient the various methods of Operating, consented that I should take my own course: but wished to be operated on in that way which would promise the most certainty of a radical cure. For reasons which I design giving hereafter the operation of incision was determined on. Our incision was commenced tolerably high up & near the abdominal ring the Crus Penis, over the spermatic cord, and continued some 5 or 6 inches in length through the scrotum down to the Tunica vaginalis testis, by the first stroke of the scalpel. The next cut was made into this latter coat, which discharged the fluid, about one quart in quantity, and laid the testicle bare, which was found to be in a healthy situation. The dressing consisted of 2 or 3 stiches, and strips of Adhesive Emplas intervening, over which a pledget of lint, & suspensary over all supporting the whole scrotum in the usual way attached to a bandage around the loins. In the course of about 3 or 4 weeks my patient had pretty well recovered and since then has enjoyed excellent health, without any return of Hydrocele. Mr. J. H. resides in Montgomery Co. Ohio Dec. 6. 1836 W. Lindsay Hydrocele 2d case. Joshua Bond aged about 60 years, having a few days previous on examination satisfyed myself that his case was that of Hydrocele, proceeded on the 13th. of May 1830 to operate, in which I was met as counsel by my friends Doctrs. W. Mount then of Eaton O., & J Plummer of Richmond Ia. (my own place of residence,) whose friendly assistence hope ever to acknowledge. In this, as the preceeding one of J. Harry the different methods of operating had been explained, viz. that of puncture, & that of Incision. which as in the other case, was submitted to the judgment of the operators, wishing to be operated on with as much certainty of producing radical cure as posable. I commenced the incision pretty well up towards the adominal ring, & carried the first stroke of the knife down near the bottom of the sac & scrotum, making the incision 5 or 6 inches long. something like a Quart of clear fluid was discharged. The transparent appearance described by our authors, & so well known to those of the Profession who have had experience in this department of Surgery, was quite evident on darkening the room and examining the enlarge scrotum with a candle previous to the operation, & was one of the appearences present which enabled us to come at a Diagnosis of this & the foregoing case. as an honest recorder I have to mention an untoward circumstance, viz. that of wounding the Testis by the knife in the operation. which was the occasion of some additional distress to the patient at the time; however, think this circumstance did not give any additional pain, afterwards during the cure. The dressing in this, as in the preciding case of J.H. was that of 2 or 3 stiches, with that of adhesive strips intervening. In 4 or 5 weeks time my patient had nearly recovered. & is still living in the enjoyment of good health, not having had the least symptom of a return of his former disease now several years since the operation. and from my experience since in operations, feel confident that a radical cure has been produced or effected. W. L. Hydrocele Case 3d. Cellular In fall of 1830 was called to a Mr. Carson in consultation with Dr. W. Matchet of Abington Wayne Co. Ia. who was laboring under very considerable enlargement of the whole scrotum attended by swelling of both legs & feet. on examination gave it as my opinion that the patient was laboring under a collection of water within the cellular membrane of the Lower extremeties. and that the scrotal enlargement was of that character. which was so enormously distended that he experienced great pain & restlessness. The general surface presented a glossey & shining appearence, attended by crepatus & pitting. Having stated my opinion to the Dr. The Patient & his friends, proceeded to puncture the scrotem on one side which gave immediate releif, by carrying off a considerable quantity of water, The particular symptons attending this case are now deficient in its history; however, think by some great exposure in geting wet & wading in the water supposed he had taken a violent cold, which was attened by considerable fever, confining the patient to bed, being so unwell as to be considered dangerous by his friends. This singular development of an infiltration & engorgement of water within the cellular membrane as well as I now recollect came on suddenly, a few days after taking to his bed & I was called in a few days afterwards. Having conducted off the water of the Scrottum; by the exhibition of aperient diuretic medicines the swelling in the lower extremities in a few days subsided, without any return of the scrotal cellular deposition. In the course of 5 or 6 days after the operation I again called, & found him doing well. And in 2 or 3 weeks afterwards, was able to resume some light labor on his farm -- The exposure in the above case was occasioned by a trip to cincinnati with his waggon. W.L To be continued Helen, Sacramento ***********************************************************************