25, 50 & 75 years ago-Twenty-five years ago

摘要

The 12 August 1863 is a most important date in the history of surgery. On that day James Greenlees, a Glasgow lad of 11 years of age was admitted to the Glasgow Royal Infirmary under Lister with a compound fracture of the left lower leg caused by being run over by a dray. cart. The fracture was just below the mid point of the tibia. There was a wound, 1.5 by 0.75 inches, close to, but not over, the fracture line. A probe could be passed down through the wound to the fracture site. There was little extravasated blood in the tissues. Lister used his carbolic treatment on this wound instead of amputating the leg forthwith. He thoroughly applied pure carbolic acid in olive oil to all parts of the wound. A dressing was made of pure carbolic acid mixed up in putty and covered with lint. This was then covered with a sheet of tin foil to prevent evaporation. The limb was splinted. The wound was redressed in like manner after 4 days and again after a further 5 days. The patient's temperature remained normal and there was no smell of putrefaction. After 6 weeks and 2 days James Greenlees left hospital walking on two legs with the compound fracture healed per primum. This could well be described as miraculous at that time.