anomalies and curiosities of medicine-第176部分

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e　leech　of　a　species　very　abundant　in　the　country。　The　hemorrhage　immediately　ceased　and　health　returned。

There　is　a　record　of　a　woman　of　twenty…eight　who　was　suddenly　surprised　by　some　one　entering　her　chamber　at　the　moment　she　was　introducing　a　cedar　pencil　into　her　vagina。　With　the　purpose　of　covering　up　her　act　and　dissembling　the　woman　sat　down；　and　the　shank　of　the　wood　was　pushed　through　the　posterior　wall　of　the　vagina　into　the　peritoneal　cavity。　The　intestine　was；　without　doubt；　pierced　in　two　of　its　curves；　which　was　demonstrated　later　by　an　autopsy。　A　plastic　exudation　had　evidently　agglutinated　the　intestine　at　the　points　of　penetration；　and　prevented　an　immediate　fatal　issue。　Erichsen　practiced　extraction　eight　months　after　the　accident；　and　a　pencil　5　1/2　inches　long；　having　a　strong　fecal　odor；　was　brought　out。　The　patient　died　the　fourth　day　after　the　operation；　from　peritonitis；　and　an　autopsy　showed　the　perforation　and　agglutination　of　the　two　intestinal　curvatures。　Getchell　relates　the　description　of　a　calculus　in　the　vagina；　formed　about　a　hair…pin　as　a　nucleus。　It　is　reported　that　a　country　girl　came　to　the　Hotel…Dieu　to　consult　Dupoytren；　and　stated　that　several　years　before　she　had　been　violated　by　some　soldiers；　who　had　introduced　an　unknown　foreign　body　into　her　vagina；　which　she　never　could　extract。　Dupuytren　found　this　to　be　a　small　metallic　pot；　two　inches　in　diameter；　with　its　concavity　toward　the　uterus。　It　contained　a　solid　black　substance　of　a　most　fetid　odor。

Foreign　bodies　are　generally　introduced　in　the　uterus　either　accidentally　in　vaginal　applications；　or　for　the　purpose　of　producing　abortion。　Zuhmeister　describes　a　case　of　a　woman　who　shortly　after　the　first　manifestations　of　pregnancy　used　a　twig　of　a　tree　to　penetrate　the　matrix。　She　thrust　it　so　strongly　into　the　uterus　that　the　wall　was　perforated；　and　the　twig　became　planted　in　the　region　of　the　kidneys。　Although　six　inches　long　and　of　the　volume　of　a　goose　feather；　this　branch　remained　five　months　in　the　pelvis　without　causing　any　particular　inconvenience；　and　was　finally　discharged　by　the　rectum。　Brignatelli　mentions　the　case　of　a　woman　who；　in　culpable　practices；　introduced　the　stalk　of　a　reed　into　her　uterus。　She　suffered　no　inconvenience　until　the　next　menstrual　epoch　which　was　accompanied　by　violent　pains。　She　presented　the　appearance　of　one　in　the　pains　of　labor。　The　matrix　had　augmented　in　volume；　and　the　orifice　of　the　uterine　cervix　was　closed；　but　there　was　hypertrophy　as　if　in　the　second　or　third　month　of　pregnancy。　After　examination　a　piece　of　reed　three　cm。　long　was　extracted　from　the　uterus；　its　external　face　being　incrusted　with　hard　calcareous　material。　Meschede　of　Schwetz；　Germany；　mentions　death　from　a　hair…pin　in　the　uterine　cavity。

Crouzit　was　called　to　see　a　young　girl　who　had　attempted　criminal　abortion　by　a　darning…needle。　When　he　arrived　a　fetus　of　about　three　months　had　already　been　expelled；　and　had　been　wounded　by　the　instrument。　It　was　impossible　to　remove　the　needle；　and　the　placenta　was　not　expelled　for　two　days。　Eleven　days　afterward　the　girl　commenced　to　have　pains　in　the　inguinal　region；　and　by　the　thirty…fifth　day　an　elevation　was　formed；　and　the　pains　increased　in　violence。　On　the　seventy…ninth　day　a　needle　six　inches　long　was　expelled　from　the　swelling　in　the　groin；　and　the　patient　recovered。　Lisfranc　extracted　from　the　uterus　of　a　woman　who　supposed　herself　to　be　pregnant　at　the　third　month；　a　fragment　of　a　large　gum…elastic　sound　which　during　illicit　maneuvers　had　broken　off　within　five　cm。　of　its　extremity；　and　penetrated　the　organ。　Lisfranc　found　there　was　not　the　slightest　sign　of　pregnancy；　despite　the　woman's　belief　that　she　was　with　child。



CHAPTER　XIV。

MISCELLANEOUS　SURGICAL　ANOMALIES。

Marvelous　Recoveries　from　Multiple　Injuries。There　are　injuries　so　numerous　or　so　great　in　extent；　and　so　marvelous　in　their　recovery；　that　they　are　worthy　of　record　in　a　section　by　themselves。　They　are　found　particularly　in　military　surgery。　In　the　Medical　and　Philosophical　Commentaries　for　1779　is　the　report　of　the　case　of　a　lieutenant　who　was　wounded　through　the　lungs；　liver；　and　stomach；　and　in　whose　armpit　lodged　a　ball。　It　was　said　that　when　the　wound　in　his　back　was　injected；　the　fluid　would　immediately　be　coughed　up　from　his　lungs。　Food　would　pass　through　the　wound　of　the　stomach。　The　man　was　greatly　prostrated；　but　after　eleven　months　of　convalescence　he　recovered。　In　the　brutal　capture　of　Fort　Griswold；　Connecticut；　in　1781；　in　which　the　brave　occupants　were　massacred　by　the　British；　Lieutenant　Avery　had　an　eye　shot　out；　his　skull　fractured；　the　brain…substance　scattering　on　the　ground；　was　stabbed　in　the　side；　and　left　for　dead；　yet　he　recovered　and　lived　to　narrate　the　horrors　of　the　day　forty　years　after。

A　French　invalid…artillery　soldier；　from　his　injuries　and　a　peculiar　mask　he　used　to　hide　them；　was　known　as　〃L'homme　a　la　tete　de　cire。〃　The　Lancet　gives　his　history　briefly　as　follows：　During　the　Franco…Prussian　War；　he　was　horribly　wounded　by　the　bursting　of　a　Prussian　shell。　His　whole　face；　including　his　two　eyes；　were　literally　blown　away；　some　scanty　remnants　of　the　osseous　and　muscular　systems；　and　the　skull　covered　with　hair　being　left。　His　wounds　healed；　giving　him　such　a　hideous　and　ghastly　appearance　that　he　was　virtually　ostracized　from　the　sight　of　his　fellows。　For　his　relief　a　dentist　by　the　name　of　Delalain　constructed　a　mask　which　included　a　false　palate　and　a　set　of　false　teeth。　This　apparatus　was　so　perfect　that　the　functions　of　respiration　and　mastication　were　almost　completely　restored　to　their　former　condition；　and　the　man　was　able　to　speak　distinctly；　and　even　to　play　the　flute。　His　sense　of　smell　also　returned。　He　wore　two　false　eyes　simply　to　fill　up　the　cavities　of　the　orbits；　for　the　parts　representing　the　eyes　were　closed。　The　mask　was　so　well…adapted　to　what　remained　of　the　real　face；　that　it　was　considered　by　all　one　of　the　finest　specimens　of　the　prothetic　art　that　could　be　devised。　This　soldier；　whose　name　was　Moreau；　was　living　and　in　perfect　health　at　the　time　of　the　report；　his　bizarre　face；　without　expression；　and　his　sobriquet；　as　mentioned；　making　him　an　object　of　great　curiosity。　He　wore　the　Cross　of　Honor；　and　nothing　delighted　him　more　than　to　talk　about　the　war。　To　augment　his　meager　pension　he　sold　a　pamphlet　containing　in　detail　an　account　of　his　injuries　and　a　description　of　the　skilfully　devised　apparatus　by　which　his　declining　life　was　made　endurable。　A　somewhat　similar　case　is　mentioned　on　page　585。

A　most　remarkable　case　of　a　soldier　suffering　numerous　and　almost　incredible　injuries　and　recovering　and　pursuing　his　vocation　with　undampened　ardor　is　that　of　Jacques　Roellinger；　Company　B；　47th　New　York　Volunteers。　He　appeared　before　a　pension　board　in　New　York；　June　29；　1865；　with　the　following　history：　In　1862　he　suffered　a　sabre…cut　across　the　quadriceps　extensor　of　the　left　thigh；　and　a　sabre…thrust　between　the　bones　of　the　forearm　at　the　middle　third。　Soon　afterward　at　Williamsburg；　Va。；　he　was　shot　in　the　thigh；　the　ball　passing　through　the　middle　third　external　to　the　femur。　At　Fort　Wagner；　1863；　he　had　a　sword…cut；　severing　the　spinal　muscles　and　overlying　tissue　for　a　distance　of　six　inches。　Subsequently　he　was　captured　by　guerillas　in　Missouri　and　tortured　by　burning　splinters　of　wood；　the　cicatrices　of　which　he　exhibited；　he　escaped　to　Florida；　where　he　was　struck　by　a　fragment　of　an　exploding　shell；　which　passed　from　without　inward；　behind　the　hamstring　on　the　right　leg；　and　remained　embedded　and　could　be　plainly　felt。　When　struck　he　fell　and　was　fired　on　by　the　retiring　enemy。　A　ball　entered　between　the　6th　and　7th　ribs　just　beneath　the　apex　of　the　heart；　traversed　the　lungs　and　issued　at　the　right　9th　rib。　He　fired　his　revolver　on　reception　of　this　shot；　and　was　soon　bayonetted　by　his　own　comrades　by　mistake；　this　wound　also　penetrating　the　body。　He　showed　a　depressed　triangular　cicatrix　on　the　margin　of　the　epigastrium。　If　the　scars　are　at　all　indicative；　the　bayonet　must　have　passed　through　the　left　lobe　of　the　liver　and　border　of　the　diaphragm。　Finally　he　was　struck　by　a　pistol…ball　at　the　lower　angle　of　the　left　lower　jaw；　this　bullet　issuing　on　the　other　side　of　the　neck。　As　exemplary　of　the　easy　manner　in　which　he　bore　his　many　injuries　during　a　somewhat　protracted　convalescence；　it　may　be　added　that　he　amused　his　comrades　by　blowing　jets　of　water　through　the　apertures　on　both　sides　of　his　neck。　Beside　the　foregoing　injuries　he　received　many　minor　ones；　which　he　did　not　deem　worthy　of　record　or　remembrance。　The　greatest　disability　he　suffered　at　the　time　of　applying　for　a　pension　resulted　from　an　ankylosed　knee。　Not　satisfied　with　his　experience　in　our　war；　he　stated　to　the　pension　examiners　that　he　was　on　his　way　to　join　Garibaldi's　army。　This　case　is　marvelous　when　we　consider　the　proximity　of　several　of　the　wounds　to　a　vital　part；　the　slightest　deviation　of　position　would　surely　have　resulted　in　a　fatal　issue　for　this　apparently　charmed　life。　The　following　table　shows　the　man's　injuries　in　the　order　of　their　reception：

（1）　Sabre…cut　across　the　quadriceps　femoris　of　right　leg；　dividing　the　tendinous　and　muscular　structures。

（2）　Sabre…thrust　between　the　bones　in　the　middle　third　of　the　right　forearm。

（3）　Shot　in　the　right　thigh；　the　ball　passing　through　the　middle　third。

（4）　A　sword…cut　across　the　spinal　muscles　covering　the　lower　dorsal　vertebrae。

（5）　Tortured　by　guerillas　in　Indian　fashion　by　having　burning　splinters　of　wood　applied　to　the　surface　of　his　right　thorax。

（6）　An　exploded　shell　passed　through　the　hamstring　muscles　of　the　right　thigh　and　embedded　itself　in　the　ligamentous　tissues　of　the　internal　condyle　of　the　femur。

（7）　Shot　by　a　ball　between　the　6th　and　7th　ribs　of　the　left　side。

（8）　Bayonetted　through　the　body；　the　steel　passing　through　the　left　lobe　of　the　liver　and　penetrating　the　posterior　border　of　the　diaphragm。

（9）　Pistol…ball　shot　through　the　sternocleido　muscle　of　one　side　of　the　neck；　emerging　through　the　corresponding　muscle　of　the　other　side　of　the　neck。

（10）　Sabre…thrust　between　the　bones　of　the　left　forearm。

（11）　Pistol…shot　through　the　left　pectoralis　major　a