Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1843 edition. Excerpt: ... proof against the torture of motion, which, however slight, agonized and awoke him. In many cases I have seen excruciating internal pain of nerves, inflamed or otherwise under disease, give evidence of its fierce shootings by the sudden agitation of the frame, expression of the countenance, and catching of the breath, when there was not sensibility enough for sensation from pinching, pricking, cutting, tearing, or even burning; the excruciating internal pain not awaking them unless when at the very highest intensity, or when the coma was not at the greatest depth. When there is exquisite tenderness of a part, as in the knee-joint of this poor man, the coma must indeed be profound, --more profound than it seems ever to have been in this case, except perhaps when the precaution was taken of keeping the fingers on the eyes after the operation was begun, --for motion of the part not to cause anguish. At the time of the operation, the 1st of October, it was found impossible, without such torture as aroused him from his mesmeric coma, to remove him from his bed to the table. Indeed, his coma was not so deep but that it was dissipated by attempting to converse with him; and in general it ceased spontaneously in half an hour, his waking being " slow and gradual and without the least start." Instead of being placed upon a table, he was therefore lifted with his low bed upon a temporary platform, and "he was soon put into the mesmeric sleep, although he was considerably excited by hearing the cries of another patient upon whom Mr. Ward had been performing a tedious and painful operation." He was then "drawn by means of the bed clothes beneath him towards the end of the bed." Even this movement excited the pain and awoke him. But the pain soon...
