The spleen and some of its diseases : being the Bradshaw lecture of the Royal college of surgeons of England, 1920 / by Sir Berkeley Moynihan.

  • Moynihan, Berkeley Moynihan, Baron, 1865-1936.
Date:
1921
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Licence: In copyright

Credit: The spleen and some of its diseases : being the Bradshaw lecture of the Royal college of surgeons of England, 1920 / by Sir Berkeley Moynihan. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    CHAPTER II. THE SURGERY OF THE SPLEEN. It was known to the ancients, and their knowledge has been confirmed in all later times, that the spleen is not essential to life. Aristotle wrote : “It is the position of the liver on the right side of the body that is the main cause for the formation of the spleen ; the existence of which thus becomes to a certain extent a matter of necessity in all animals, though not of very stringent necessity 55. Erasistratus took the view that the spleen was wholly devoid of use. Galen spoke of it as an organ “ full of mystery ”. In an old English translation by Holland of the Natural History of C. Pliny (23 to 79 a.d.) the following statement is found : “ This member hath a proprietie by itself sometimes, to hinder a man’s running : whereupon professed runners in the race that be troubled with the splene have a devise to burne and waste it with a hot yron. And no marveile : for why ? They say that the splene may be taken out of the body by way of incision, and yet the creature live nevertheless : but if it be man or woman that is thus cut for the splene, he or she looseth their laughter by the means. For sure it is that intemperate laughers have always great splenes Shakespeare speaks of both these functions of the spleen :— 44 Such fantastic tricks As make the angels weep ; who, with our spleens, Would all themselves laugh mortal.” Measure for Measure, ii, ii, 121. And, again, Maria, in Twelfth Night, as she ridicules Malvolio before Sir Toby, says :— “ If you desire tlie spleen and will laugh yourself into stitches, follow me.” Twelfth Night, in, ii, 72. Of its effect upon the pace of a runner the Bastard speaks in King John :— “ I am scalded with my violent motion And spleen of speed to see your Majesty.” King John, v, vii, 49.