466 



SIKGEUY. 



limb, and an incapability of motion. In detecting 

 this accident, great assistance may be derived from 

 comparing it with the joint on the opposite sides. 

 A dislocation is easily redueed at the time it 

 occurs ; but the difficulty increases in a direct ratio 

 with the time that has elapsed since the infliction 

 of the injury, so that in course of time it becomes 

 altogether impossible, and a new joint is frequently 

 formed at the expense of great pain and suffering to 

 the patient. Indeed, we are persuaded that with 

 a very limited quantum of time and attention 

 bestowed on this subject, many a luxation might 

 have been reduced that now proves a source of an 

 uneasiness and deformity for life; and it is little 

 more than eighteen months since we saw a fine 

 boy of five years of age rendered a cripple, by the 

 ignorance, perhaps, the carelessness, of asurgeon.who 

 declared the swelling of the joint to be occasioned 

 by a collection of matter. So much time, however, 

 had been lost, that it was impossible to reduce the 

 luxation, and the child is consequently a cripple for 

 life. The reduction of dislocation is accomplished 

 by extension and counter extension ; and the ex- 

 tending force is to be gradually increased, and at 

 first in the direction in which the bone may be dis- 

 placed, and by degrees it is to be brought into a 

 line parallel with the axis of the socket. During 

 this latter period of the application of the extension, 

 some one is to endeavour to raise the head of the 

 bone over the edge of the cavity. Much depends 

 on the steadiness of the patient and the fair con- 

 tinued pull of the assistants. 



Eye. Of all the organs of the human body the 

 eye is considered one of the most delicate, and 

 one the loss of which is always deeply deplored. 

 Guarded and protected as it is by our All-wise 

 Creator, it is, nevertheless, frequently the seat of 

 disease and pain ; and perhaps the most common 

 accident to which it is liable is the lodgement of 

 foreign substances on its surface, and often under 

 the eyelids. When this is the case there is pain 

 and acute inflammation, terminating, if neglected, 

 in obscurity, and even loss of vision. Particles of 

 sand or dust may either be disengaged on the sur- 

 face, or having penetrated the external tunic, 

 may there remain fixed. In the former case it is 

 easily removed by means of a camel hair pencil, 

 dipped in oil, or two or three soft feathers tied 

 together, so as to imitate the camel hair brush; or 

 what is equally efficacious, a piece of pure soft 

 paper, rolled like a quill, and moistened in the 

 mouth ; it is sometimes, however, necessary to ex- 

 tract sharp substances that have stuck fast in the 

 coats of the eye ; but this requires a fine lancet, a 

 steady hand, and great delicacy. Blacksmiths, 

 cutlers, and other kindred trades, are familiar with 

 this accident, which they denominate a fire in the 

 eye ; and some one of the profession celebrated for 

 removing it, pulls it out roughly betwixt his finger 

 and thumb, often to the future injury of the suf- 

 ferer. We have seen serious injury done to the 

 eye by running in lead to secure the railing of 

 stairs, &c. ; if there be any liquid in the cavity into 

 which the lead is poured it will produce violent 

 ebullition, and, rising out of the cavity, scald the 

 face or eyes of the operator; and when the latter 

 accident occurs, the eyelids should be widely sepa- 

 rated, and the lead seized and gently pulled out by 

 a pair of small forceps or fine pliers. We have 

 in this way extracted a thin covering of lead, the 

 size of a shilling, from the eye, and the sight, 

 although weak and dim, was not destroyed. 



The Ear too is liable to lie infested \\-\\\\foreign 

 substances in its ruvitirs; and in general it is inert 

 substances that are met with in this important 

 ! organ. Ants, flies, caterpillars, and other insects, 

 have sometimes not only entered the car, but have 

 been known to deposit their ova there. When they 

 cannot be seen, it is best to introduce a mixture of 

 equal parts of oxgall and camphorated oil, and then 

 to syringe the ears with warm water and soap. It 

 the first does not remove the unpleasant feelings 

 or tickling, and even sounds and deafness, five or 

 six, or even ten drops of the camphorated oil and 

 gall may be dropped in every night, for four nights, 

 and then repeat the syringing as before. 



The Gullet, or (Esophagus, is, perhaps, that pas- 

 sage or tube into which bones, pins, &c., are most 

 frequently and carelessly introduced, and, the acci- 

 dent has frequently proved fatal. The very repre- 

 hensible practice which many females have of 

 holding pins in their mouth, whilst dressing, has led 

 to many accidents, and when a pin or small splinter 

 of bone has been swallowed, or is rather sticking 

 in the upper part of the gullet, they may frequently 

 be removed and brought up, or fall down into the 

 stomach, by exciting vomiting, by tickling the back 

 part of the throat, or fanning with a feather, or a 

 common goose quill. A plentiful draught of 

 water should be immediately taken ; but it is 

 often difficult to persuade the person that it is re- 

 moved, as the pain of the pricking and roughness 

 still remain. When it is a large substance, it may 

 not only obstruct the passage, but, by pressing on 

 the windpipe, produce symptoms of suffocation, 

 which may, if not relieved, terminate in death. 

 If the substance is so far up as can be laid hold of 

 with a hook or pair of long forceps, it should be first 

 attempted, but if this is not immediately effected, 

 no time should be lost in employing a probang, 

 which is formed of a piece of rounded whalebone, with 

 a piece of ball-shaped sponge (see Plate LXXXVI1. 

 ng. 21), securely fixed to the end, or a small ball 

 a little larger than a musket bullet, of bone ivory 

 or boxwood, screwed on the end of the whalebone. 

 With the rib of an old umbrella or parasol, no one 

 need be at a loss to form a probang. The method 

 of using it is simple, merely carrying it into the 

 back part of the mouth, and introducing it into the 

 throat, press gently but firmly against the substance 

 with the oiled ball or sponge, till it yields and falls 

 down into the stomach. It is even sometimes 

 necessary to cut down on the neck to the gullet, 

 and in that manner extract the substance ; but this 

 last operation should only be performed by a 

 surgeon. Presence of mind is a great requisite in 

 such accidents. The compiler of this article was once 

 sent for in great haste to a lady, without knowing 

 for what cause, when he found her on the verge of 

 suffocation, from a large piece of mutton bone 

 sticking in the gullet. Not having any probang, 

 he immediately procured a piece whalebone from a 

 pair of stays, which he used as a probang, and in a few 

 seconds the lady was out of danger. The surgeon- 

 general of Ireland, Dr Frampton, accidentally met 

 with a case of this kind, split a small cane or ratan, and 

 pushed down the bone. A surgeon was called to 

 a boy with a halfpenny sticking in the gullet, and 

 having no instrument, he threw a quantity of snu/F 

 into the boy's mouth, and by its action the half- 

 penny was dislodged. These cases will afford a 

 hint to others in like circumstances. It is sur- 

 prising the large substances some individuals are 

 capable of swallowing without sustaining much 



