A case of fracture of the os innominatum, and death in connection with the administration of sulphuric ether : communicated to the Academy of Medicine of Cincinnati / by W.H. Mussey.

  • Mussey, William Heberden, 1818-1882.
Date:
[1861]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A case of fracture of the os innominatum, and death in connection with the administration of sulphuric ether : communicated to the Academy of Medicine of Cincinnati / by W.H. Mussey. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    The patient had eaten a little bread and tea during the forenoon, which was all he had taken since the breakfast of Thursday. The consent of the family was obtained to a post-mortem examina- tion, on the po.-itive assurance of Drs. Yanharlingen and myself, that some internal injury had been received as the real cause of death ; and I remained over the night, in order to conduct it in the presence of the physicians of Lebanon. In relation to the shortness of the limb, I learned that Mr. Koogle, when nineteen years of age, had been thrown from a horse, and hurt his right hip, and had always had a shortened limb since. This account was written previous to the autopsy. Post-Morlem Examination : Fourteen hours after death. Assisted by Drs. J. Yanharlingen and I. L. Drake. The record made by Dr. Robert Vanharlingen. Drs. Joshua Stevens, Adam Sellers, and James, of Lebanon, with a number of the family friends, present. External appearances.— General ecchymosis of the face, neck, supe- rior portion of breast, sides and back of body. Abdomen distended, and slightly tympanitic. Left inferior extremity one and one-fourth inch shorter than the right. An incision was made in the skin from the top of the sternum, along the median line to the umbilicus, thence to the crest of either ilium. Thickness of the adipose tissue along the line of incision over the abdomen, two inches ; muscular Avails of abdomen thin ; omentum loaded with fat; appearances of the intestines natural, not much dis- tension with gas. On raising the inferior flap, infiltration of blood was observed upon it, and in the pelvic surface that Avas visible ; omentum adherent to the peritoneum on the left side ; spleen, natural appearance, but adherent to the peritoneum ; the viscera enveloped with fat; right kidney of unusual size, tAvo-thirds larger than natural, highly engorged Avith blood and in good condition ; urethra normal ; left kidney Avanting, or in its position the fat inclosed a single mem- brane of a dark brown color, and the thickness of coarse paper, of about three square inches in extent. Pancreas natural. LiA<er en- larged, smooth, of a light color, slightly engorged, and of softened texture, breaking down easily betAveen the fingers. Stomach contain- ing but little fluid, of a brownish color. The cardiac, tAvo-thirds was beautifully mottled in purple and shades of red, in annular patches three-fourths or an inch in diameter. On removing the intestines to within ten inches of the sigmoid flexure of the colon, & space of six inches in diameter in the right