LXXV. Fatal Case of Unmlilical Hernia, By Joun 
Taunton, Esq. Surgeon to the City and Finsbury Dis- 
pensaries, and tothe City Truss Society, Lecturer on 
Anatomy, Surgery, Physiology, Fe. 
17th June 181i.—7A. Pe. eA aise Hancock and my- 
self visited Mrs. Tranter: she was aged about 33 years, had 
enjoyed good health generally, and been the mother of 
several children, (seven of whom are living,) and a woman 
according to report of very industrious habits. She had had 
an umbilical hernia for several years, which did not appear to 
have been reduced for some time past. On Friday last the 
14th instant it became inflamed and painful : this was suc- 
ceeded with the usual symptoms of strangulated hernia. A 
medical man was called in on Saturday morning, who bled 
her, applied fomentations and poultices, and.directed that 
leeches should be applied to the part; he also administered 
a great number of clysters, six or seven of them contained 
each an infusion of a quarter of an ounce of tobacco, The 
unfavourable symptoms continued to increase; and the pa- 
tient not having the means of paying for more medicines, 
her husband obtained a letter for the Finsbury Dispensary 
this day. The patient was then told, that, the only thing 
to be done was to cut the body open, and return the gut; 
an operation, from the manner in, which it was named, 
that excited great horror in all persons present. This ac- 
count was given to us by the poor woman and females 
about her, and confirmed by her husband. 
The sickness and vomiting distressed her very much : 
the hernia, which was not large, was painful and tense: the 
integuments covering it had a livid unfavourable appear- 
ance: the operation appeared to be the only chance of af- 
fording relief: but from the unfavourable impression, or 
rather horror, on their minds, they solicited that some 
means should be tried first, at least for an bour or two, 
Four pills were then ordered, each of which contained one 
grain of opiunt, two grains of calomel, and one drop of the 
oil of mint: oneof these pills was directed: to be taken 
every half-hour. 
Dr. H. and myself visited the patient again at 9 P. M. 
and took the instruments with a view of performing the 
operation. She had then taken three of the pills, and had 
not had any return of the pain, sickness, hiccough, or vo- 
miting, from the time she took the first pill; the hernia 
wes become much softer, and less paintul on pressure. 
oe She 
