Remarks on the question, are there any circumstances in which the lifting of the dead is justifiable? / by Aliquis.

  • Aliquis.
Date:
1824
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Remarks on the question, are there any circumstances in which the lifting of the dead is justifiable? / by Aliquis. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    nier resort, he will endeavour to force it down, but lie may only impact it more firmly; does any one imagine that he will have recourse to his scalpel, that he will cut into the oesopha- gus ? no, truly—his reputation, as well as the life of the pa- tient, is at stake. Were he to have the temerity to do so, almost to a certainty, he would injure some large vessel, or nerve, or both, which would destroy the patient: but, if skilled in the anatomy of the parts, he would, with perfect safety, lay open the oesophagus, and remove the obstructin'*- substance. But peihaps our opponents are chuckling all the while, and »vi e leady to inform us, that they never allow bones, nor any hard substance whatever, to go down into their gullets, nor even to get posterior to the Velum Pendulum Palati; neither are they in danger from any thing passing into then- windpipes, nor are they liable to suspended respiration, so as to stand in need of the operation of tracheatomy. 1 his may be all very true ; but every one is not to be so foi tunate: and besides, it they are in the habit of yawning, or subject to fits ot ennui, their lower jaws may be luxated ; and if they have not the assistance of a person who has a practical acquaintance with the anatomy of the parts, with condyles and other connections, unless he be aware of the office performed by a pair of the pterygoid muscles, there is a risk of their grinders being heard no more. Is it requisite that we should insist on the necessity of ac- curate anatomical knowledge on the part of surgical Practi- tioners, that they may be enabled, successfully, to grapple with the immense variety of accidents, to which our mortal frames are every day exposed ? Must we advert to its para- mount importance in cases of dislocation ? &c. Not speaking of the many operations that are necessary, as the only alter- native between life and death : the performance of which, if unaccompanied with correct anatomical information, on the part of the operator, would in many cases, be only the pa- tient’s passport to eternity. We maintain, that were it for no other purpose, than to