Case of inflammation of the cephalic vein, which terminated fatally : with the appearances on dissection / by Andrew Duncan.

  • Duncan, Andrew, Jun., 1773-1832.
Date:
1824]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Case of inflammation of the cephalic vein, which terminated fatally : with the appearances on dissection / by Andrew Duncan. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    16/17 (page 15)
    he had made use of this lancet about a month before in opening or dilating a sore upon the back of a patient. This individual is still alive, and upon examination I find that he had been affected with carbuncle, which healed slowly after being laid open. Mr A. assured me that he had cleaned the lancet after it was used; but added, that it might be the cause of the soreness of his hand, as he remembered that he had hurt his nose with it, which had in consequence been very sore; but when I saw him, there was no appearance of sore upon his nose remaining. If the use of this lancet was the immediate ex- citing cause, this case furnishes an argument that the morbid secretions of an ulcer may act as a poi- son upon the system of another individual, when in- troduced by inoculation, although not fatal to the individual by whom it is secreted; and of this many other examples might be adduced. Under this sup- position, it would also prove that such morbid secre- tions may act, although applied in a very minute quantity, since we may be assured that a lancet, which a gentleman would employ upon himself, would at least seem clean; and, lastly, it would prove that such a minute quantity of morbid poison retains its activity for about a month at least. But even granting that the lancet was loaded with a morbid poison capable of inoculating the sys- tem, it appears to me highly improbable that open- ing with it the cavity of a small abscess would have this effect. In general, when a phlegmon points, and especially after it has burst, the outer parietes