File:A system of surgery (1787) (14761104656).jpg

Identifier: systemofsurgery04bell (find matches)
Title: A system of surgery
Year: 1787 (1780s)
Authors: Bell, Benjamin, 1749-1806
Subjects: Surgery Surgery
Publisher: Edinburgh : Printed for Charles Elliot ... (et al.)
Contributing Library: Columbia University Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Open Knowledge Commons

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aking the incifion in thisitianner, fome have direded it to be doneby fitting a piece of pafteboard, lead, ortin, to the gums beneath; and the lipbeing placed upon it, to cut down with afcalpel upon the fupporting fub(lance: Theoperation may be very properly done inthis manner, but the cut is more eafily madein the manner we have direfled. Till of late the inclGon in this opera*tion was commonly made with fciffars;and although they are now very generallylaid afide on the fuppofition of their brui*fing the lip, yet the operation may be veryproperly done with them. I would notthink it right to employ fciffars to cut apart of much thicknefs, but the lip is fel-dom fo thick as to render it improper taufe them in cutting for the hare-lip.They have of late been ufed in this placeby different pra6litioners; and as a pointof this kind can be determined by ex-perience alone, I have likewife employ-ed them. In order to afcertain whichof the two modes of operating, that with the r-r, xlT, liiu D
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Scft. L Dljic^s (jfthi Lipu 17i the fcalpel or with the fciffars, oughcto be preferred, I in one cafe made the in-cifion in one fide with a fcalpel, and iathe other with fciflars. The patient aver-red that the fciflars gave leaft pain, pro*bably from their making the cut in fonoe-what lefs time than is neceflary with theknife; and, during the cure, that fide ofthe lip which was cut with the fciflarsneither fvvelled nor inflamed more thanthe other. I do not from thl^*, however^mean to fay, that fciflTars are preferableto the fcalpel; I mention It only to fhowthat the common idea entertained of themis ill-founded, and that the operationmay be equally well done with bothinftruments. SciflTars for this purpofefliould be very ftrong, and- particularly-firm at the joint. They ought alfo to behighly poliflied. The fize and form ofthem reprefented in Plate LVI. fig. i. hasbeen frequently ufed, and is found to an*fwer. When defcribing the Twifted Suture inVol* I. I gave the preference to gold

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