Copy of a letter from Mr. David Paterson, (1st), a surgeon in His Majesty's Navy, and late Surgeon to Prisoners of War at Forton, to the Commissioners for taking care of sick and wounded seamen, &c.

  • Paterson, David.
Date:
[1797?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Copy of a letter from Mr. David Paterson, (1st), a surgeon in His Majesty's Navy, and late Surgeon to Prisoners of War at Forton, to the Commissioners for taking care of sick and wounded seamen, &c. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    was beftowed in keeping the ward extremely clean, and thoroughly ventilated. Finding not only that no good effed was produced by any of thefe means, but even that the Ulcer, the found parts being flill in a mouldering ftate, grew more and more extenfive, I came to a determination, confidering myfelf fufii-.- ciently authorifed, from the experience I had had, to make trial, in this untoward cafe, of Dr. J. C. Smith’s Nitrous Vapour. Accordingly, on the yth of March the fumigation was put in praftice, in the fame way as in the foregoing cafes j and, it is with heart-felt pleafure I relate it, by the 12th, that was in five days time, and on the day I finifhed my duty at Forton> the Ulcer was perfeiUy clean and healthy, CASE IV.—Francois a 'negro French prifoner, age unknown, was admitted into the hofpital on the ?6th of January i797> for a wounded little finger. On examining the wound, I found that the laft bone and the furrounding liguments were the parts moft materially injured. The bone was fradlured, and the foft parts were contufed to a very great degree, with a fmall lacerated wound at the tip of the finger. Deeming it neceflary, I immediately amputated the limb at the joint formed by the fecond and laft pha- langes. The (lump, the bone being well covered, and