556 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 172 2. 



Account of the coming off of the Scapula and Head of the Os Humeri^ on a 

 Mortification. By Mr. Peter Derante, Surgeon at Waterford. N'' 3 70, 

 p. 15. 



Nov. 5, 1713, John Fletcher, on board the Neptune of Liverpool, had the 

 misfortune to break the radius and ulna of his left arm, and their ends burst 

 through the skin. He was immediately dressed by the surgeon of the ship with 

 the common astringents and bandages. About five days after, I was sent 

 for to see the patient ; when on taking off the dressings, I found it black and 

 insensible from his fingers to his shoulder, and therefore advised the extirpation 

 of it immediately ; but his surgeon opposed it : however, I scarified it in several 

 places, very deep, and then applied a warm dressing. Next day the ship put to 

 sea, and the patient was sent to Waterford, and committed to my care. As 

 soon as I could get my apparatus ready, I cut off his arm as high as possible ; I 

 then • cauterized the stump, which was perfectly mortified as high as the 

 acromion. Next day I perceived the mortification spreading toward the lower 

 angle of the scapula : I then rubbed the edges of the mortification with armed 

 probes dipped in a solution of argentum vivum in aq. fort, which completely 

 answered my intention : for from that time the mortification spread no further. 

 Next dressing I scarified and cauterized all the mortified part, and dressed it 

 secundum artem. I continued this method for 17 or 18 days, and then the 

 sloughs began to separate and cast off daily. Some time after the scapula began 

 to part from the os humeri and clavicula; and at length came out entirely. The 

 stump of the os humeri still adhered to the pectoralis and latissimus dorsi ; but 

 in a little time it also separated and came away, without any haemorrhage suc- 

 ceeding. I was afterwards obliged to cut oflf part of the clavicula, before I 

 could cicatrize the wound, which was soon afterwards accomplished. 



An Account of a great Number of Hydatids found in the Abdomen. Com- 

 municated by John Thorpe, M. D. F.R.S.* N° 370, p. 17. An Extract 

 from the Latin. 



In this communication an account is given of a person, aged 58, who was 

 affected with an enormous swelling of the abdomen, resembling ascites ; yet 

 from the appearance of the urine, the absence of oedema of the legs, and the 

 freedom of respiration, it was doubtful whether the distension was occasioned 

 by water or not. For the space of 6 months various remedies were employed 

 (without success) to remove the swelling ; which at length increased to such a 



• This account was transmitted to Dr. Thorpe from Paris, by Barthol. Anhom, de Hartniss. 



