Surgical Experiences in South Africa, 1899-1900. George Henry Makins
target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="#ulink_8cf89a21-db4a-5f06-9782-5203b33eb6e0">Injuries To the Intestinal Tract
Cases From the Action at Karee
Injuries to the Solid Abdominal Viscera
Wounds of the External Genital Organs
PREFACE
A word of explanation is perhaps necessary as to the form in which these experiences have been put together. The matter was originally collected with the object of sending a series of articles to the British Medical Journal. Various circumstances, however, of which the chief was the feeling that extending experience altered in many cases the views adopted at first sight, prevented the original intention from being carried into execution, and the articles, considerably expanded, are now published together.
As to the illustrative cases introduced in support of various statements made in the text, only those have been chosen from my notes which were under my own observation for a considerable time, and many of these have been brought up to date since my return to England. I have, as a rule, avoided the inclusion of cases seen cursorily, and few simple ones have been quoted since their character is sufficiently indicated in the text. These remarks seem necessary since the mode of selection has resulted in the inclusion of a number of cases of exceptional severity, and any attempt to draw statistical conclusions from them would be most misleading.
The first two chapters have been added with a view to affording some information, first, as to the conditions under which a great part of the surgical work was done, and, secondly, as to the mechanism and causation of the injuries, which would not readily be at hand in the case of the general surgical reader. For much of the information contained in Chapter II. I must express my indebtedness to the work of MM. Nimier and Laval, so frequently quoted.
The only other object of this Preface is to express my thanks to the many who have aided me in the task of amplifying the observations on which the articles are founded, and I think no writer ever received more sympathetic and kindly help in such particulars than the author.
My first thanks, those due to the Members of the Royal Army Medical Corps, I endeavour to express by the dedication of this volume. Any attempt to make individual acknowledgment to either the Members of the Service, or to the Civil Surgeons temporarily attached, would be impossible. I have, however, tried to associate the names of many of those in charge of cases in the recital of histories and treatment throughout.
My thanks are not less due to the Military Heads of Departments at the War Office, who have helped me in the collection of details as to the subsequent course of many of the cases described, and in the acquisition of information regarding the weapons and ammunition treated of. I should particularly express my gratitude to Colonel Robb, of the Adjutant-General's Department, and Colonel Montgomery, of the Ordnance Department.
I am greatly indebted to my former colleague Mr. Cheatle for two of the illustrations of wounds, and for permission to quote some of his other experience, and to Mr. Henry Catling, to whose skill I owe the majority of the skiagrams of the fractures under my observation at Wynberg and elsewhere.
I must also express my thanks to Mr. Danielsson and his artist, Mr. Ford, for the trouble they have taken in converting my rough sketches into the illustrations contained in the volume.
Lastly, my warmest gratitude is due to my friends, Mr. Cuthbert Wallace, who has read some of my chapters, and to Mr. F. C. Abbott, who has read the whole book for the press and suggested many improvements and modifications.
47 Charles Street, Berkeley Square, W.
February 1901.
ILLUSTRATIONS
PLATES
Varieties of Ammunition collected at LadysmithFrontispiece 1. Section of Mauser Aperture of Entry To face p. 73 2. Section of Mauser Aperture of Exit 76 3. Punctured Fracture of Clavicle162 4. Comminuted Fracture of Shaft of Humerus180 5. Comminuted Fracture of Humerus accompanied by an Explosive Exit182 6. Comminuted Fracture of Humerus due to Oblique Impact184 7. Same Fracture healed186 8. Low Velocity Fracture of Humerus With Retained Bullet188 9. Localised Fracture of Humerus Showing Fragmentation of the Bullet190 10. Wedge-shaped Fracture of the Radius192 11. Fracture of the Metacarpus, showing Fragmentation of the Bullet194 12. Finely Comminuted Fracture of the Femur196 13. The same Fracture Healed198 14. Stellate 'Butterfly' Fracture of the Femur200 15. Lateral Impact of Bullet, with Comminution of the Femur202 16. Rectangular Impact of Bullet, with highly Oblique Line of Fracture of the Femur204 17. Punctured Fracture of the Femur with Exit Bone-flap206 18. Fractured Patella208 19. Oblique Comminuted Fracture of the Tibia210 20. Transverse Fracture of the Tibia212 21. Puncture of the Tibia, with an Oblique Fissure214 22. Notched Fracture of the Tibia216 23. Punctured Fracture of the Fibula218 24. The same Fracture, Lateral View 220 25. Vickers-Maxim Fracture of the Humerus 482
IN THE TEXT
FIG. PAGE
1. Linen Hold-all with Instruments4 2. Instrument Hold-all Rolled for Packing5 3. Tin Water-bottle for Emergency Operations6 4. Buggy on the Veldt7 5. McCormack-Brook Wheeled Stretcher Carriage19 6. Indian Tonga20 7. Service Ambulance Wagon21 8. Buck-wagon Loaded with Wounded Men22 9. Interior of a Wagon of No. 2 Hospital Train24 10. P. & O. Hospital Ship 'Simla'25 11. Type of General Hospital 32 12. Type of Tortoise Tent Hospital 33 13. Single Tortoise Hospital Tent 35 14. Five Types of Cartridge in Common Use During the War47 15. Sections of Four Bullets To Show Relative Thickness of Mantles51 16. Entry and Exit Mauser Wounds