The principles of surgery . ly to depress bothits circulation and its nervous energy ; and this depression, by continu-ance of the cause, may be carried so far as altogether to annihilate vitalpower. The part, in truth, is frozen to death ; becoming cold, insensi-ble, shrivelled, and discolored; by and by undergoing obvious chemicalchange, and becoming detached by the ordinary process of is likely to occur only in very cold climates ; and even then, onlywhen the individual is exposed to hardship and privation. The partsmost liable to be so affected, are those most remote from t
The principles of surgery . ly to depress bothits circulation and its nervous energy ; and this depression, by continu-ance of the cause, may be carried so far as altogether to annihilate vitalpower. The part, in truth, is frozen to death ; becoming cold, insensi-ble, shrivelled, and discolored; by and by undergoing obvious chemicalchange, and becoming detached by the ordinary process of is likely to occur only in very cold climates ; and even then, onlywhen the individual is exposed to hardship and privation. The partsmost liable to be so affected, are those most remote from the centre ofcirculation, and consequently by nature less fully endowed by vitalpower ; and also those most habitually exposed to atmospheric incle-mency—as the toes and feet, and the tips of the nose and ears. Much more frequently the action is indirect. Cold is applied ; andthe lowering result follows, as usual, to a greater or less extent. Thecold is suddenly removed; or, very likely, warmth with the additional Fig. Chronic gangrene of the feet, after exposure to cold. Separation considerably advanced. stimulus of friction is applied. And the inevitable consequence is, im-mature and excessive reaction ; the blood rushing back to the part it hadbut lately left, with far greater impetuosity than it had before ; dis-tending every vessel to the utmost; hurrying on the inflammatory pro-cess—and this is in a part not yet recovered from the depression of vitalpower, which the first effect of the cold had occasioned. The inflamma-tion is sudden and intense ; power of resistance and control is low;gangrene is inevitable. It is not the patient who is simply exposedto diminished temperature, that suffers from chilblain—chronic inflam-matory process in a debilitated part; or from frost-bite—the inflamma-tion, more acute, having reached sloughing. But it is the patient who,after exposure to cold, warms himself at the fire, or simply enters aheated room ; or who, not contented
Size: 2073px × 1206px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, booksub, booksubjectsurgicalproceduresoperative
