Case of a large bony tumor in the face completely removed by spontaneous separation. To which are added, observations upon some of the functions of the soft palate and pharynx / [John Hilton].

  • Hilton, John, 1804-1878
Date:
[1836?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Case of a large bony tumor in the face completely removed by spontaneous separation. To which are added, observations upon some of the functions of the soft palate and pharynx / [John Hilton]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    bleeding, but it produced almost complete relief from pain. In less than an hour, the patient, who had been deprived of rest during several weeks, was buried in profound sleep; which lasted so many hours, that his friends began to be alarmed. He awoke nearly free from pain ; and this com¬ parative ease has continued up to the present time. He has, however, been the subject of occasional neuralgic pains following the distribution of the first and second divisions of the fifth nerve. The tumor fortunately did not extend backwards towards the pharynx or air passages; so that the patient has never experienced any difficulty in swallowing, or breathing through his mouth; and has always been able to speak with as much distinctness and clearness of articulation as at present, his voice being now characterized by what is termed a nasal sound. About six years ago, the tumor was observed to be some¬ what loosened, and detaching itself by ulcerative absorption from the surrounding soft parts, the integuments being de¬ stroyed by its pressure forwards. This process was accom¬ panied by copious suppuration, and occasionally by profuse arterial haemorrhage, proceeding not from the vessels of the tumor itself, but from those of the adjacent structures about the situation of its origin, near the internal angle of the orbit. Through the kindness of my friend Mr. Gilson, surgeon at Chelmsford, I saw this patient about eighteen months ago. The tumor was then exposed and moveable; and retained in its situation by bands of integument, which we proposed to divide, with a view to the removal of the bony mass: but the circumstances under which the patient was placed pre¬ vented the performance of this operation. Shortly after this time, several small irregular portions of bone came away: but the large mass, without causing pain, continued to be maintained in its situation until the trans¬ verse bands of skin were divided by ulceration; when, to the patient’s great astonishment, the whole tumor fell from his face. Neither pain nor bleeding attended this separation; but a large chasm was left, which is accurately represented in the accompanying sketch. (Plate I. Fig. 1.)