230 Fatal Case of Inguinal Hernia* 



and which may perhaps lead to some great and useful dis- 

 coveries. 



We know that aloes taken internally act as a very active 

 tonic, and are powerfully antiseptic when applied externally. 

 Surgeons daily use aloes in tincture, as a detergent for old 

 ulcers, caries, and gangrenes, which proceed rapidly. Would 

 it have this antiseptic property if taken internally ? We 

 know it besides for its febrifuge and purgative virtues : — 

 but it has certainly never been known before, that it ceases 

 to purge the instant it is united to gall-nuts in powder, as I 

 have had occasion to verify. 



XL1II. A Fatal Case of Inguinal Hernia, by John Taun- 

 ton, Esq. Surgeon to the City and Finshury Dispensa- 

 ries, and to the City Truss Society for the Relief of the 

 Ruptured Poor. 



To Mr. Tilloch. 



Sir, uhould the following case of hernia (which was 

 attended with some important peculiarities) be deemed 

 worthy of a place in your valuable Magazine, the recording 

 of it will give me pleasure. 



Mr. J. H. a^t. 53, an able-bodied man, of a good consti- 

 tution, has always lived a very regular life, and enjoyed 

 good health, has been subject to hernia in the left groin for 

 many years ; for which complaint he constantly wore a truss, 

 which prevented him from suffering any serious inconveni- 

 ence. 



On the 5th of August, the intestine passed through the 

 abdominal ring, and formed a tumour of considerable size 

 in the left side of ihe scrotum. The tumour was very tense 

 and painful on pressure, but was apparently reduced with 

 considerable difficulty by a surgeon who resided near the pa- 

 tient. 



The abdomen continued painful on pressure, the pain be- 

 ing referred principally to the umbilicus and region of the 

 stomach, with a sensation of heat. Fomentations and the 

 warm bath were emploved without any relief. The bowels 

 remained in a constipated state : no stool could be procured 

 either by medicines taken by the mouth, or by cathartic 

 glysters, several of which were injected. 



The hiccough became very troublesome j every thing 

 taken bv the mouth was rejected by the stomach ; feculent 

 matter was vomited in large quantities; the tongue was 



much 



