Page images
PDF
EPUB

the face, which is paralyzed in consequence of the division of the portio dura, or facial nerve. About a year after the tumor began again to form, accompanied occasionally by lancing pains ; since which time it has increased gradually. It is at present about the size of a large hen's egg, hard, unequal on its surface, quite colourless, and at times accompanied by stinging pains. It extends considerably behind the jaw, and on the anterior part of it is seen the cicatrix from the former operation. "17th. A tolerable night's rest, no hemorrhagy, but she complains of pain in the throat and difficult deglutition.

"18th. She complains to-day of difficulty of breathing, the pain of the throat continues; the bandage being slackened, there is immediate relief to both; she sleeps ill, opium is substituted for the draught.

"19th. The sponges adhere firmly to the surface of the wound; there is little tension or inflammation of the parts, but she complains of the pain in the throat, chiefly on deglutition.

"20th. Two of the sponges were removed with little difficulty or pain, no hemorrhagy, the wound is filled up with lint. "22d. All the sponge is removed.

"25th. The discharge is copious.

February 4th. The cavity fills up rapidly.

"15th.

She continues to do well.

"25th. She was dismissed nearly well."

Report of the operation by Mr. Bell, January 16:

"The one half of the parotid gland, that which lies behind the angle of the jaw, had been left: the scab of the former operation was on the fore part of the tumor: the tumor lay behind and under the ear, pressing deep betwixt the mastoid process and the rising branch of the jaw bone. It seemed outwardly a small tumor, but it had shot down very deep, adher ing to the pterygoid process, and to the back of the pharynx. The dangers of the operation were these: the portio dura, the ninth pair of nerves, passed through the tumor: immediately under it lay the trunk of the carotid. The external carotid

[ocr errors]

behind the lower jaw, but chiefly the large jugular vein, was in danger, for the tumor lay so entirely under the mastoid muscle, that part of the muscle is taken away with the gland. The gland being dissected free in its lower part, where it lay near the carotid artery, was torn up by the roots where it adhered to the back of the fauces. The internal maxillary artery bled very profusely; a small piece of sponge, the size of the thumb, and supported by other pieces of sponge, filling up the hollow, was pressed upon the artery at the back of the nostril. The swelling of this piece of sponge caused a difficulty of deglutition, which ceased when the sponge was removed. After the operation I put my finger into the hollow whence the gland was extracted, which I felt two inches and a half deep. At its lower angle, (i. e.) behind the corner of the jaw-bone, the carotid lay bare, beating strongly, not dilated; the upper part of the wound was deep, so that the finger touched the pterygoid process forwards, and the apophysis cuniformis of the occiput backwards; and when she swallowed, the morsel, in passing down the pharynx, pressed upon the point of the finger."

Page 210 Mr. B has the following observation. "For I had often extirpated the diseased parotid ;" and, on the next page, says it cannot be done without cutting the carotid, which he admits elsewhere must be fatal. This is one of those errors, which a more plodding genius would have avoided. He likewise mentions a fatal case of aneurism of the carotid; and an instance is related of the tic doloreux cured by dividing the We believe, however, that this operation has rarely

succeeded.

The work is concluded by a " Memoir on the Surgical Diseases of the Poor," which, though highly creditable to the author, happily does not apply to this country.

The copious extracts which we have made from the work before us fully evince our opinion of its merits; and we sin cerely lament that an edition of the whole of Mr. B.'s Princi ples of Surgery cannot be printed here to advantage; even an

VOL. 1.

19

abridgment of them will, we think, if well executed, be of great benefit to the profession. There is one announced by Mr. Smith, whose prospectus will be found under the head of Intelligence, which, it is expected, will appear in the course of the next autumn.

Memoirs of the Philadelphia Society for promoting Agriculture. Containing Communications on various Subjects in Husbandry and rural Affairs. To which is added a Statistical Account of the Schuylkill permanent Bridge. Philadelphia. Jane Aitken. 1808. Vol. i. 8vo. pp. 479.

WHEN nearly all the information we have on any particular

art or science is contained in two or three books only, these books, whatever may be their real merit, derive from thạt circumstance alone a degree of intrinsic importance, which they would not otherwise possess: So it is with respect to publications on American husbandry. They are so few in number, that they are entitled, on that account, to a much better reception than they would otherwise meet. If we have but a small portion of written information on this subject, it will be remembered, that it is our little all, and must be estimated accordingly. In a country like ours indeed, which depends chiefly for its wealth and prosperity on the productions of the soil; where correct agricultural knowledge is by no means ge nerally diffused; where the methods of managing farms are. learnt by rote, without system and without science; where the husbandman generally pursues, with undeviating steps, the path of his ancestors ;-in such a country every species of information on agriculture must be considered highly important, and cannot fail to be advantageous to the community. We have then no hesitation in affirming that the volume before us may be ranked amongst the most useful American publications: for

although it contains many things, which in other countries might not be thought worth printing, yet even these may be beneficial here, because they are new to a large proportion of our farmers. With a view, therefore, to encourage the general diffusion of agricultural knowledge, we are inclined to bestow every possible commendation on works of this kind, and especially on those which relate to practical husbandry. They ought to be multiplied to a much greater extent than they have been, and no farmer ought to be without such a book for his guide. He may always procure some valuable knowledge from this source, and thereby enrich the stock of his own experience.

The establishment of societies for the purpose of collecting and distributing information on American husbandry, is, perhaps, the best method of accomplishing that important object. Such societies ought to be instituted in every state in the union, and, if possible, in every county of the several states. Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and New-York have set a laudable example in commencing these institutions. The societies established in those states have already furnished us with some of the most valuable communications on agriculture, as well as on arts and manufactures. They are generally composed of men of science residing in the cities where the meetings are held, and also of practical intelligent farmers scattered over the country. In consequence of this organization they are well calculated to attain the objects contemplated by them. But to render these institutions still more beneficial than they otherwise would be, it has been a favourite object in New-York and in Pennsylvania to establish and to connect secondary societies throughout these respective states. The New-York society, which meets at the seat of government, at Albany, during the session of the Legislature, several years ago appointed secretaries residing in the several counties, with instructions to endeavour to form county societies, which might correspond with the general state society, and send their communications to it for publication. But the success of this mea

sure was by no means equal to what might have been expected. Notwithstanding all the exertions of the society, their plan was not carried far into execution. In the state of Pennsylvania too, we see, with pleasure, that a similar project was long ago formed. But, unfortunately, this also failed in its accomplishment. At some future period, perhaps, when the value of such institutions shall be more justly appreciated, and consequently more importance attached to them, these experiments may be repeated with success. We shall then soon be in possession of all the agricultural knowledge in our country; and every farmer will be enabled to avail himself of the experience of every other farmer concerning the best system of husbandry adapted to the peculiar soil, climate, and condition of these United States. The great mass of information on English husbandry, found in the county reports, made to the Board of Agriculture of Great-Britain, demonstrates both the utility of this kind of information, and the practicability of obtaining it, whenever the people shall be sufficiently convinced of its importance. But with us this period, we fear, is not yet arrived. In the mean time, it becomes us to acquaint our readers with the correct and enlightened views of the Philadel phia Society on this subject, by giving their plan for establishing a state society, as contained in the introduction to their Memoirs. It is as follows:

"1. The legislature to be applied to for an act of incorporation of the society, which is to consist of citizens of the state, as generally dispersed throughout the same as possible. In the first instance, the society to be composed of such persons as may be named, and these to be vested with authority to make rules for admission of other members, and bye-laws for the government of the society, as usual in similar cases. Honorary members to be admitted according to rules to be established, and these may be of any state or country.

"2. The organization of the society shall be so formed, that the business thereof may be done by a few, who will be

« PreviousContinue »