Case of Strangulated Hernia

Abstract

Wednesday, Jan. 1, 1851.?This morning, at five o'clock, I was requested by my friend, Mr Finlay, to visit David Shuld, a seaman, aged 60, who had been brought ashore from a ship, about four hours previously, with all the Bymptoms of strangulated hernia. Mr Finlay had seen him shortly after he reached his home, and had made a persevering attempt to reduce the hernia, but without effect. The man's statement?which was rather confused?was, that for many years he had laboured under hernia, for which he had worn a truss; but that the tumour frequently came down, and was returned on several occasions with difficulty, and after having caused symptoms resembling his present attack; that on Monday forenoon (December 30), feeling costive and unwell, he had taken a dose of castor oil, which had acted three times ; that the same evening, about nine o'clock, whilst engaged in the ship's rigging, he had felt the tumour come down suddenly; that he immediately became sick, and vomited, and had been in great agony ever since. He was evidently in great pain, his pulse small and wiry, the whole surface of the body cold and damp (he had not been able to change his wet clothes for two days and nights before coming ashore); but his countenance