ROYAL SOCIETY OF MEDICINE.
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64 abdomen was opened above the umbilicus. A thin-waned cyst was found occupying the larger part of the abdomen. Three fine strands passed from the cyst to the abdominal wall, which I regarded as due to the previous aspirations. The cyst was tapped and drawn outside the abdomen. It was thin-walled, partially loculated, and situated in the great omentum. It was readily stripped from the omentum except at one part where the omentum was torn, and its upper part had to be peeled from the greater curvature of Omental cyst in a girl of 4 years. Circumference of abdomen. 291/4 iuches. the stomach. The omentum was repaired, completing the anterior wall of the lesser sac. The abdomen was then closed. The child made a perfect recovery and was dis- charged a fortnight later. The cyst was of the size of a large football. The exact quantity of fluid was not measured, but half-filled an ordinary pail. The cyst was occupied by a thin brownish fluid containing cholesterin crystals and was partially divided into several loculi. Portions of the great omentum were removed with the cyst and remain adherent to its wall. Microscopic examination of its wall revealed no epithelial layer, so that it is difficult to account for its origin. Ne castle. on-Tyne. DONATIONS AND BEQUESTS.-The Chelsea Hospital for Women has received from the trustees of the Zunz Bequest £5000, being the balance of the £ 10,000 generously promised by the trustees towards the rebuilding of the I hospital.-Tna trustees of the late Miss Marjory Shanks Schaw, of Glasgow, have given JE60,000 to the Western Infirmary, £ 40,000 to the Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow, and £ 10,000 each to the Royal Samaritan Hospital for Women, the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, the Royal Maternity and Women’s Hospital, and the Association for the Relief of Incurables, all Glasgow institutions.-The late Mr. John Slougi2grove, of Purleigh, has bequeathed X150 to the Essex County Hospital, X200 each to the Royal London Ophthalmic Hospital and the Reedham Asylum for Fatherless Children, £ 300 to Dr. Barnardo’s Homes, and JE250 each to the London Hospital and the Eastern Counties Asylum for Idiots.-The late Miss Isabella Mary Peploe-Smith, of Onslow-square, S.W., bequeathed X500 each to the Cancer Hospital, Brompton, the Consumption Hospital, Brompton, and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Medical Societies. ROYAL SOCIETY OF MEDICINE. SECTION OF HISTORY OF MEDICINE. Casanova’s Memoires. A MEETING of this section was held on Dec. 20th, 1916, Dr. NORMAN MookE, ex-President, being in the chair. Dr. J. D. RoLLESTOrr read a paper on the Medical Interest of Casanova’s Mémoires. He said that as a child Casanova appeared to have suffered from adenoids and small-pox. His sanguine temperament predisposed him to epistaxis, to which he was subject from childhood, and to piles, which he first developed during one of his imprisonments. From early adult life onwards he had attacks of fever, possibly malarial in origin, and at the age of 45 he had a severe attack of lobar pneumonia. He had numerous attacks of venereal disease—gonorrhoea and soft chancre, and possibly syphilis, as might have been expected from his own account of his life. He apparently sought medical advice on each occasion, af d no sequelse resulted. In old age he suffered from gout, and his death was probably due to septic absorption, secondary to enlargement of the prostate. Originally intended for the medical profession, ’Casanova retained throughout his life his interest in medicine, as is shown bv his descriptions of disease, his criticism of doctors his dogmatic opinions on medical subjects, his successful simulation of various maladies, and his incursions into the field of therapeutics. Reviews and Notices of Books. Diseases of the Umbilicus. By THOMAS M. CULLEN, M.B., Associate Professor of Gynaecology, Johns Hopkins University. With 269 illus- trations. London and Philadelphia : W. B. Saunders Companv. 1916. Pp. 665. Price 35s. net. THIS volume contains a complete account of the various diseases affecting the umbilicus and the urachus. Not only has Dr. Cullen collected all that is known about these conditions, but he has also carefully recorded the more important cases, so that his work will be invaluable for reference to any future workers and serve as a foundation on which they may build. It would seem hardly possible that so many pages could be needed to describe the diseases of so small an area of the body as the umbilicus. This book, however, deals not only very fully with all the known diseases of the navel, but also with such other matters as the omphalomesenteric duct and vessels, Meckel’s diverticulum, and the urachus. The importance of the embryology of the umbilicus is very considerable because so many of the lesions are due to a partial or complete lack of closure of the omphalomesenteric duct or of the urachus. The section devoted to this subject is extremely clear and is illustrated by a very fine series of drawings by Max Brode). The many interesting and instructive points which a detailed study of the anatomy reveals are well set out in Chapter IL, and the four plates showing the different forms of the umbilicus will be a revelation to those who have never studted this region particularly. Umbilical infections and heamorrhage in the new-born child happily have lost the importance they once had, but an account of many of the old epidemics is given by the author and their relation to infections of the umbilical stump clearly shown. A large number of cases of the curious tumours formed by remnants of the omphalomesenteric duct, the so-called umbilical polyp, are collected and given in full, while the chapters dealing with a patent omphalomesenteric duct and prolapse of the bowel through such a duct are most interesting. As the author rightly points out, when a small umbilical polyp is no’ed after the cord has come away, the probable per- sistence of other portions of the omphalomesenteric duct, such as a Meckel’s diverticulum or a cord from the mesentery to the umbilicus, must be remembered and the added possibility of intestinal obstruction developing later in life explained to the parents. It is interesting to find that most of the cases of so-called dermoids of the umbilicus turn out on further investigation
Transcript of ROYAL SOCIETY OF MEDICINE.
64
abdomen was opened above the umbilicus. A thin-wanedcyst was found occupying the larger part of the abdomen.Three fine strands passed from the cyst to the abdominalwall, which I regarded as due to the previous aspirations.The cyst was tapped and drawn outside the abdomen. Itwas thin-walled, partially loculated, and situated in the greatomentum. It was readily stripped from the omentumexcept at one part where the omentum was torn, and itsupper part had to be peeled from the greater curvature of
Omental cyst in a girl of 4 years. Circumference of abdomen.291/4 iuches.
the stomach. The omentum was repaired, completing theanterior wall of the lesser sac. The abdomen was thenclosed. The child made a perfect recovery and was dis-charged a fortnight later. The cyst was of the size of a largefootball. The exact quantity of fluid was not measured, buthalf-filled an ordinary pail. The cyst was occupied by athin brownish fluid containing cholesterin crystals and waspartially divided into several loculi. Portions of the greatomentum were removed with the cyst and remain adherentto its wall. Microscopic examination of its wall revealed noepithelial layer, so that it is difficult to account for itsorigin.Ne castle. on-Tyne.
DONATIONS AND BEQUESTS.-The Chelsea Hospital for Women has received from the trustees of the ZunzBequest £5000, being the balance of the £ 10,000 generously promised by the trustees towards the rebuilding of the Ihospital.-Tna trustees of the late Miss Marjory ShanksSchaw, of Glasgow, have given JE60,000 to the WesternInfirmary, £ 40,000 to the Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow, and£ 10,000 each to the Royal Samaritan Hospital for Women,the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, the Royal Maternityand Women’s Hospital, and the Association for the Relief ofIncurables, all Glasgow institutions.-The late Mr. JohnSlougi2grove, of Purleigh, has bequeathed X150 to the EssexCounty Hospital, X200 each to the Royal London OphthalmicHospital and the Reedham Asylum for Fatherless Children,£ 300 to Dr. Barnardo’s Homes, and JE250 each to the LondonHospital and the Eastern Counties Asylum for Idiots.-Thelate Miss Isabella Mary Peploe-Smith, of Onslow-square,S.W., bequeathed X500 each to the Cancer Hospital,Brompton, the Consumption Hospital, Brompton, and theSociety for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Medical Societies.ROYAL SOCIETY OF MEDICINE.
SECTION OF HISTORY OF MEDICINE.Casanova’s Memoires.
A MEETING of this section was held on Dec. 20th, 1916,Dr. NORMAN MookE, ex-President, being in the chair.
Dr. J. D. RoLLESTOrr read a paper on the Medical Interestof Casanova’s Mémoires. He said that as a child Casanovaappeared to have suffered from adenoids and small-pox. Hissanguine temperament predisposed him to epistaxis, to whichhe was subject from childhood, and to piles, which he firstdeveloped during one of his imprisonments. From earlyadult life onwards he had attacks of fever, possibly malarialin origin, and at the age of 45 he had a severe attack oflobar pneumonia. He had numerous attacks of venerealdisease—gonorrhoea and soft chancre, and possibly syphilis,as might have been expected from his own account of hislife. He apparently sought medical advice on each occasion,af d no sequelse resulted. In old age he suffered from gout,and his death was probably due to septic absorption, secondaryto enlargement of the prostate. Originally intended for themedical profession, ’Casanova retained throughout his lifehis interest in medicine, as is shown bv his descriptions ofdisease, his criticism of doctors his dogmatic opinions onmedical subjects, his successful simulation of various maladies,and his incursions into the field of therapeutics.
Reviews and Notices of Books.Diseases of the Umbilicus.By THOMAS M. CULLEN, M.B., Associate Professor ofGynaecology, Johns Hopkins University. With 269 illus-trations. London and Philadelphia : W. B. SaundersCompanv. 1916. Pp. 665. Price 35s. net.THIS volume contains a complete account of the various
diseases affecting the umbilicus and the urachus. Not only hasDr. Cullen collected all that is known about these conditions,but he has also carefully recorded the more important cases,so that his work will be invaluable for reference to anyfuture workers and serve as a foundation on which they maybuild.
It would seem hardly possible that so many pages could beneeded to describe the diseases of so small an area of the bodyas the umbilicus. This book, however, deals not only very fullywith all the known diseases of the navel, but also with suchother matters as the omphalomesenteric duct and vessels,Meckel’s diverticulum, and the urachus. The importance ofthe embryology of the umbilicus is very considerable becauseso many of the lesions are due to a partial or complete lackof closure of the omphalomesenteric duct or of the urachus.The section devoted to this subject is extremely clearand is illustrated by a very fine series of drawings by MaxBrode). The many interesting and instructive points whicha detailed study of the anatomy reveals are well set out inChapter IL, and the four plates showing the different formsof the umbilicus will be a revelation to those who havenever studted this region particularly. Umbilical infectionsand heamorrhage in the new-born child happily have lost theimportance they once had, but an account of many of theold epidemics is given by the author and their relation toinfections of the umbilical stump clearly shown. A largenumber of cases of the curious tumours formed by remnantsof the omphalomesenteric duct, the so-called umbilicalpolyp, are collected and given in full, while the chaptersdealing with a patent omphalomesenteric duct and prolapseof the bowel through such a duct are most interesting. Asthe author rightly points out, when a small umbilical polypis no’ed after the cord has come away, the probable per-sistence of other portions of the omphalomesentericduct, such as a Meckel’s diverticulum or a cordfrom the mesentery to the umbilicus, must be rememberedand the added possibility of intestinal obstructiondeveloping later in life explained to the parents. Itis interesting to find that most of the cases of so-calleddermoids of the umbilicus turn out on further investigation
