EDINBURGH MEDICO-CHIRURGICAL SOCIETY

1896 The Lancet  
1498 a protrusion from the lower end of the Woolflan duct, had failed to develop. The organ described above represents an embryonic kidney, development having been arrested at an early period. On the left side the portion of the Woolfian body which should develop into the kidney had entirely disappeared. The connexion of the allantois with the hind gut had remained patent and there had been no involution of the epiblast to form the anal end of the gut. Dr. HUTTON showed the heart of a dog (an
more » ... glish setter ten years old) from the wall of the right ventricle of which a fibro-cystic tumour, an inch in diameter, grew. The wall of the right ventricle was thickened and the cavity dilated. The animal had been thin and feeble for about a year and had had three attacks of syncope in the last month and died in the third-attack. Dr. DIXON MANN and Dr. J. GRAY CLEGG described the post-mortem appearances of Two Cases of Poisoning by Arseniuretted Hydrogen and showed specimens. There were five cases in all, three terminating favourably. They occurred in a manufactory where for trade purposes it was necessary to dissolve a considerable quantity of zinc in hydrochloric acid. The hydrochloric acid used at the time of the poisoning was found afterwards to contain an excessive amount of arsenic as impurity to the extent of 0'309 per cent. of metallic arsenic. The zinc also contained arsenic in small amount. The symptoms were, briefly, pain in the back, vomiting, melssna, hæmoglobinuria, and jaundice. The post-mortem appearances were as follows : a broad, dark-blue line on the gums, ante-mortem clots in the heart and great vessels, oedema and congestion of the lungs, general bluish tinge of the omentum, hyperæmia of, and peteohias in, the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines, congestion of the spleen, slight enlargement of the liver, great swelling, and congestion of the kidneys. On section the substance was found to be darkred and the pyramids showed blue-black patches in their central parts. The bladder was contracted, in one case empty, and in the other contained about a drachm of fluid tinged red, in which was found kidney epithelium, fatty casts, albumin, and a trace of bile pigment. In Case 1 arsenic was found to be present in the liver, kidneys, bile, urine, blood, and in the fluid from the pericardium and the pleurae. In the liver only was the amount sufficient to enable a quantitative estimation to be made ; it equalled 0'002 gramme As2O3 for the entire viscus. In Case 2 As was found in the kidneys, spleen, and liver, in which it equalled 0'0016 gramme As2O3. The microscopical preparations exhibited the following characters :-Liver : The cells were swollen and cloudy, but the nuclei stained; there was no appreciable bile staining and no deposit of iron. Spleen: There were extensive congestion and slight fatty changes with failure to stain in patches. Kidney: The glomeruli were swollen, epithelium of the tubules was swollen and cloudy, and the nuclei did not stain ; the bloodvessels were markedly distended ; and there were granular matter and blood in the tubules. Osmic acid preparations showed fatty granules in the cells of all the three organs. LEEDS AND WEST RIDING MEDICO-CHIRURGICAL SOCIETY. Acute Perforative Appendicitis.-Exhibition of Cases and Specimens. A MEETING of this society was held on May 1st, Mr. MAYO ROBSON, President, being in the chair. Mr. MOYNIHAN read the notes of a case of Acute Perforative Appendicitis in which recovery followed abdominal section. A boy aged thirteen years had suffered for three and a half days from acute appendicitis, perforation occurring towards the end of the third day. The abdomen was opened by a median incision, and the peritoneal cavity, which was found to contain offensive pus, was thoroughly cleaned and drained. By a separate incision the abscess cavity over the appendix was opened and cleansed and drained. A prolonged convalescence eventuated in complete recovery. The chief points raised for discussion were the following : 1. The question of early operation in ordinary cases of appendicitis. Mr. Moynihan quoted Dr. Ryerson Fowler, who remarks : "As soon as the diagnosis of progressive appendicitis is assured the abdomen should be opened and the appendix removed." It was urged that early operation was attended by little or no risk and that its statistical results would be icuna 10 jusuny Lne proceuure. . j-ne administration or opium during the first forty-eight hours. This was strongly deprecated. The first twenty-four or forty-eight hours are those in which the symptoms are gradually asserting their claim to the surgeon's attention, and their relative value is wholly impaired by the effect of opium or morphia. 3. The advisability or otherwise of peritoneal lavage was discussed, and Mr. Moynihan gave it as his firmly established opinion that the method added very considerably to the dangers of the operation and in most cases was unnecessary. The peritoneum could be as thoroughly cleansed by careful sponging with tampons of iodoform gauze. Drainage by means of strips of gauze in place of, or in addition to, drainage by glass tube was advocated. 4. The importance of the removal of the appendix in all cases of abscess. It was pointed out that in not a few recorded cases a second attack of acute inflammation had occurred in an appendix not removed during operation and that in one case at least a fatal termination had resulted. It was suggested, as a guide to treatment, that some ready rule should be adopted, such as "if at the end of a certain well-defined period a case of appendicitis is either stationary or progressive operative procedures should, without any further delay, be adopted." It was mentioned that the American surgeons would constitute twenty-four hours as the duration of this period. This was, perhaps, a little early, but it emphasised the importance of early operative procedures-an importance that could hardly be too strongly insisted upon. -Mr. BROWN objected to the early use of opium because it concealed the danger. He thought washing of the peritoneum was of great value and that there were other more important factors in the production of shock.-Dr. CHURTON thought that a large number of these patients got well without operation and could recall many cases where a peritonitis had receded after rather rapid extension.-The PRESIDENT mentioned three cases in which he had operated with success. -Mr. LITTLEWOOD thought that perforation occurring during the first attack was much more serious than when occurring in later attacks. He did not believe it possible in many cases to absolutely cleanse the peritoneum, and thought it of importance to use boiled normal saline solution for intra-abdominal lavage rather than boric acid or plain water.-Dr. GRIFFITH drew attention to the anatomical arrangement of the peritoneum around the appendix and its bearing on the mode of bursting of an abscess within or without the peritoneal cavity.-Mr. MOYNIHAN replied. The following cases, pathological specimens, &c., were shown :-Mr. W. H. BROWN : (1) Patent Urachus closed by operation ; (2) Enterectomy after Gangrene of Umbilical Hernia. (specimen and patient); (3) Extensive Keloids ; (4) Recurrent Fibroid after more than twenty removals; and (5) Talipes
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