On the Ulll'ity ofPulUc Dispensaries. 313 



thiu, and did not contain any fluid; so that the greatest 

 care was necessary to avoid wounding the intestine, which 

 was of a very dark colour. The pulse, which varied during 

 the day prior to the operation from 120 to 130. small and 

 thready, was immediately reduced to 86, and was soft and 

 regular. She took some gentle laxative medicines. 



Nov. 13th. Has been very easy during the night, buf 

 has not had any discharge from the bowels, I orderc4 

 an enema, and a gentle dose of Epsom salts r which pro^ 

 duced the desired efiect : but she complained in the after- 

 noon of being low, and thirsty. Pulse 106. 



Nov. 14th. Has had a good night ; fever less ; pulse 96; 

 but an extremely troublesome cough, for which some ex- 

 pectorant medicines were prescribed. 



Nov. 15th and I6ch. Continues to recover. 



Nov. 17th. Dressed the wound, which had not com- 

 pletely adhered. 



Nov. 19th. Recovering fast; appetite good; walks about 

 the chamber, from which she does not experience any in- 

 convenience. From this time the medicines were continued 

 .according to circumstances. She was now allowed animal 

 food; the wound healed gradually; anx! she returned thanks, 

 being perfectly cured, at the beginning of December. 



I have been induced to give the above particulars on ac- 

 count of the very quick recovery of the patient from one of 

 the most formidable and frequently fatal operations of sur- 

 gery ; which I attribute principally to the time of operating, 

 the'delay of which 1 have no doubt has proved fatal to many, 

 as the performance of an operation when the vMtal functions 

 Are nearly exhausted can do little more than hurry on the 

 fatal event. 



Surgical Patients admitted into the City Dispensary, from 

 the \st of October to the 31 st of December last, 201. 



i'04 



Sixty-one of these patients have been visited at home, 

 and ten have undergone operations ; two of which, for fis- 

 tula in ano, of several years standing, have been cured : one 

 for an imperforated anus, which was unsuccessful Irom the 

 nialformation which appeared in the internal canal on cxa- 



nnainij 



