Chapter I: Front Matter

Transcriber’s notes:

Italic text is denoted by _underscores_ and bold text by =equal signs=. An underscore is also used in conjunction with curly brackets to indicate that the characters within the brackets are subscripted in the original text, e.g. a_{1} (seen mainly in illustration captions).

The table of contents contains a mix of italicised and non-italicised entries that generally correspond to different heading levels in the body of the text, but the correspondence is inaccurate and not all headings are listed. No attempt has been made to correct these anomalies.

The text contains several archaic symbols representing measures of weight that were used by apothecaries. In this text version the symbols appear to display correctly with most of the common fonts, but Times New Roman and Lucida Sans Unicode are the most reliable for displaying them in the html version. The main symbols are ‘ʒ’ representing the drachm unit of weight, and ‘℥’ representing the ounce unit of weight (8 drachms = 1 ounce). The third symbol does not have an exact computer equivalent and has been represented in this transcription by the character ‘ɱ’, which can signify ‘minim’ (a measure of volume equal to 1/60th of a fluid drachm), ‘drop’, or ‘part by volume’. Roman numerals x, v, i and j (i and j both represent 1) indicate the quantities associated with these symbols.

Various inconsistencies of spelling and hyphenation occur throughout the text; some are simple typographical errors but most are probably variations attributable to the book's multiple authorship. Words with variable spellings that occur with similar frequency (e.g. _trocar_ / _trochar_, _aneurism_ / _aneurysm_) have not been changed, but most other spelling inconsistencies have been ‘corrected’ to the predominant form (e.g. _Caesarian_ --> _Caesarean_, _turbinate_ --> _turbinal_). Omitted letters have been corrected by inserting the missing letters in square brackets (e.g. sella turc[ic]a). Simple typos such as _uretha_ (_urethra_) and _polpyus_ (_polypus_) have been corrected silently, and likewise with missing punctuation such as commas omitted from the index and the table of contents. An apostrophe is used inconsistently with the proper noun _Bruening_ / _Bruenings_.

Inconsistencies of spacing and hyphenation have been treated similarly. For example, spaces have been removed from the abbreviations _i.e._ _e.g._ and from percentage values. Compound nouns that occur equally often with/without hyphens, have not been changed, e.g. _bone forceps_ / _bone-forceps_, _attic wall_ / _attic-wall_, whereas those that are more frequently either hyphenated or not hyphenated, have been standardised accordingly, e.g. _punch forceps_ --> _punch-forceps_, _heart-failure_ --> _heart failure_.

OXFORD MEDICAL PUBLICATIONS

A SYSTEM OF
OPERATIVE SURGERY

OXFORD: HORACE HART
PRINTER TO THE UNIVERSITY

OXFORD MEDICAL PUBLICATIONS

A
SYSTEM
OF
OPERATIVE SURGERY

BY VARIOUS AUTHORS

EDITED BY
F. F. BURGHARD, M.S. (Lond.), F.R.C.S. (Eng.)
TEACHER OF OPERATIVE SURGERY IN KING’S COLLEGE, LONDON
SURGEON TO KING’S COLLEGE HOSPITAL
SENIOR SURGEON TO THE CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL, PADDINGTON GREEN

IN FOUR VOLUMES

VOL. IV

OPERATIONS UPON THE FEMALE GENITAL ORGANS
OPHTHALMIC OPERATIONS
OPERATIONS UPON THE EAR
OPERATIONS UPON THE LARYNX AND TRACHEA
OPERATIONS UPON THE NOSE AND ITS ACCESSORY CAVITIES

LONDON

HENRY FROWDE HODDER & STOUGHTON
Oxford University Press Warwick Square, E.C.

1909

EDITOR’S PREFACE

Great as have been the advances made in Surgery during the last fifteen years, there is no direction in which they have been more noticeable than in the elaboration of those comparatively small but important details of operative technique which do so much to ensure a low mortality and a successful result.

These improvements have been developed simultaneously throughout the whole of the vast field covered by modern Surgery, and it has become increasingly difficult for any single writer to deal with such an important subject as Operative Surgery in an authoritative and efficient manner. The scope of the subject is so wide that it is difficult to ensure that the work when published shall be thoroughly up to date, while a second and even greater difficulty is for any one, however great his ability and experience, to deal equally exhaustively and authoritatively with all of the many branches of which he would have to treat.

To avoid both of these difficulties and thus to make sure that the work shall reflect faithfully the present position of British Operative Surgery, the plan has been adopted of securing the co-operation of a number of prominent British Surgeons. Each writer deals with a branch of the subject in which he has had special experience, and upon which, therefore, he is entitled to speak with authority.

Besides the two important points just referred to, a third equally important one has been kept in view throughout. Particular care has been taken to make the work of as much practical utility to the reader as possible. Not only are the various operations described in the fullest detail and with special reference to the difficulties and dangers and the best methods of overcoming and avoiding them, but the indications for the individual operations are described at length, and the after-treatment and results receive adequate notice.

It is therefore hoped that the work will be useful alike to those who are about to operate for the first time, and to those surgeons of experience who desire to keep themselves informed as to the progress that has been made in the various branches of Operative Surgery.

The division of the work into a number of sections each written by a different author, necessarily involves some overlapping of subjects and some diversity of opinion upon points of technique. Efforts have been made to prevent overlapping of subjects as far as possible by care in their distribution and by conference between the authors concerned, but no attempt has been made to harmonize conflicting views. Each author supports his individual opinions by the weight of his authority, and any discrepancies may be taken to represent the absence of unanimity on various minor points that is well known to exist among surgeons of all countries.

The task of editing a work contributed to by so many writers might well appear to be an onerous one, but, owing to the promptitude, courtesy, and forbearance of all concerned, it has been a source of great pleasure, and the Editor’s most cordial thanks are tendered to all those who have devoted so much time and trouble to the work.