Transcript
Page 1: MANCHESTER ROYAL INFIRMARY

371

should not be surprised to find that this tumour had notmanifested its existence by anything more definite thanheadache.

Injuries to the cerebral meninges produce symptoms ofirritation of the same side, and in this case the injuries theysustained in the region of the tumour would account for theirregular movements of the right side, observed for somedays after his admission. The subsequent paralysis andcontractions of this side were probably due to the inflam-mation having extended to the left aide of the longitudinalfissure. The fixation of the left eyeball, and the facialparalysis (which was not well marked), can easily be

explained by the supposition that there was some localnerve lesion.

____________

MANCHESTER ROYAL INFIRMARY.CASE OF HEPATIC ABSCESS.

(Under the care of Dr. WILLIAM ROBERTS and Mr. HEATH.)FOR the following notes we are indebted to Mr. C. H.

Bloxsome, house-surgeon.Mark H-, aged forty-four, a labourer, was admitted

under Dr. William Roberts on Sept. 24th, 1880. The familyhistory was good. When ten years of age the patient hadsmall-pox, but, with that exception, he had always beenhealthy. Seven years before admission he went to America,where he worked as a labourer in the backwoods; was muchexposed to cold and wet, and had a severe attack of diarrhoea,which lasted a fortnight. There was, however, no historyof dysentery, although he had occasionally been subject toshort attacks of purging, which ceased after a few hours.He had for several years been in the habit of drinking largequantities of whisky. There was no history of syphilis.About five months before admission patient became aware

of a dull aching pain in his right side, followed by a swellingover the region of the liver. He laid up for three weeks,when, being worse, he returned to England, and shortlyafterwards became an in-patient at the infirmary.On admission he had a dusky, sallow complexion, with a

careworn expression. He was fairly well nourished, thoughrather ansemic. In the epigastrium was an immovabletumour, rather tense, though fluctuation could be distinctly

‘ made out. There was dulness in the nipple line, extendingfrom the lower border of the fifth rib of the right side to twoinches below the costal margin. On Oct. 26th a puncture was made into the tumour about

an inch below the eighth right costal cartilage, and threeounces of very sanious pus were withdrawn by the aspirator.On Nov. 2nd thirteen ounces of a similar fluid were eva-

cuated in the same manner, giving great relief ; and on the7th the aspirator was again used, six ounces of fluid beingwithdrawn.On Nov. 9th he was admitted into the surgical warrhunder Mr. Heath. Under the carbolic spray an incision arinch in length was made a little to the left of the rightnipple line, and below the costal border, and a large-sizeadrainage-tube was inserted. About eight ounces of thicksanious pus were evacuated, and antiseptic dressing was applied, being fixed by a many-tailed bandage. There wassuch a large quantity of discharge that the wound was

dressed twice daily until the third day, after which it wasdressed once daily until the 15th, when a small quantity oi

eucalyptus and vaseline ointment (1 to 8) splead uponboracic lint was applied, the spray being still used. Thequantity of discharge steadily decreasiug, the drainage-tubewas shortened by degrees until Dec. 8th, when it was dis-continued altogether.On Dec. 15th the spray was given up, the dressing being

still applied every alternate day ; and on the 21st thewound had completely healed. The patient was dischargedDec. 24th.

The temperature, which had previously been most irre-guiar, varying from 103° F. to 96° F., became rapidlvnormal after the abscess was opened, and remained sothroughout, never rising above 99° F.

THE total sum realised by the Hospital Saturdayand Sunday collections in Manchester this year is9ZO53 13s. 4cl. A few contributions not yet returned will, itis hoped, raise the sum to at least the average of former years.

Medical Societies.ROYAL MEDICAL & CHIRURGICAL SOCIETY.

Annual Meeting.—President’s Address.THE annual general meeting of this Society was held at

the Society’s rooms, 53, Berners-street, on the lst. inst., thePresident, J. E. Erichsen, Esq., F.R.S., in the chair. Theballot for officers and Council for the ensuing year wastaken, Dr. Legg and Mr. Gant acting as scrutineers. The

following Fellows were elected to fill the offices :-President:Dr. Andrew Whyte Barclay. Vice-Presidents : Drs. A. B.Garrod and Habersbon, and Messrs. Spencer Wells andHolmes. Treasurers: Dr. C. B. Radcliffe and Mr. CooperForster. Secretaries: Dr. R. E. Thompson and Mr.

Berkeley Hill. Librarians : Dr. Sieveking and Mr. Hulke.Other members of the Council : Drs. Andrew, Cholmeley,Hilton Fagge, Sydney Ringer, and Reginald Southey, andMessrs. Gaut, Langton, Francis Mason, John Morgan, andAlfred Willett.The balance-sheet, which had been duly audited and pre-

viously circulated, was taken as read. In consequence ofsome unusual outlay, the finances were not as satisfactoryas usual, there being a deficit in the income as opposed tothe expediture of 970 10s. 6d. The number of new Fellows

during the past year was twenty-four, less than the yearbefore, but considerably above the average.Mr. Holmes, the hon. secretary, read the report of the Coun-

cil, the adoption of which was moved by Dr. Cholmeley,seconded hy Mr. Cowell, and carried nem. con.The PRESIDENT then delivered an address. He said that

the meetings of the Society, the excellence of its publishedTransactions and of its unequalled library, were evidencesof its satisfactory position ; and as proof of the high estima-tion in which it was held was the fact that office in it wasregarded as the highest distinction the profession could con-fer. At the same time, he thought its sphere of actionmight be increased. and that it would be of great advantageif an institution which kept aloof from education and medico-ethical and political questions could be more widely utilisedfor the investigation of questions of practical moment andimportance to the community. He suggested that the inquiryof such subjects might be more frequently undertaken byCommittees of the Society. He spoke also of the relation ofthe Society to the kindred societies, and advocated thescheme which in 1869 was nearly carried mto effect of amal-gamating of affiliating those societies into one central body,a Royal Academy of Medicine. The financial condition ofthe Society was not altogether satisfactory ; its income wasnot sufficiently elastic to bear the strain or any unusual ex-penditure. It would not be possible to reduce the ordinaryexpenditure without impairing the efficiency of the Library,and he suggested that an annual subscription from non-resident Fellows might reasonably be fiemadded, the presentfee being somewhat inadequate and not in proportion to theprivileges derived Of course, any such change would onlyhave a prospective effect. Mr. Ertchsen then proceeded togive a brief sketch of the lives and work of Fellows deceasedduring the past year. The list comprised the names of Dr.D. Whitaker Cohen, Mr. Thomas Bell, F. R.S., the firstlegally qualified surgeon who devoted himself specially todeuti-try, and whose zoological writings as well as hisedition of Cilhert White’s "Selborne" were well known;Dr. John Deakin Heaton, of Leeds; Dr. W. Sharpey,F.R.S., whose career and character were admirably por-trayed : his wide knowledge "blended with wisdom,"his unrivalled powers of exposition, his liberal in-

stinct, and his devo-ion to medical education and sciencewere dwelt on by the speaker, who k-ijew him well;Dr. O’Connor, Mr. Ed, Amphlett, Dr. J. Pearson Irvine,Dr. Ed. I Sparks, Dr. Ed. Goodeve, Dr. Geo. Moore, andSir B. C. Brodie, M. A , Bart., late Professor of Chemistry atOxford. and an honorary Fellow of the Society. In con-clusion, Mr. Erich.en said that he had now to retire fromthe chair and resign the office which the Society hadhonoured him two years ago. That honour was one of

great distinction to be conferred on a member of our

Top Related