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The use of ethyl chloride as a local anæsthetic
CLINICAL ARTICLES.
227
"Tumour is irregularly elliptical in outline, measuring 10 by 6 by 5 cm. in its greatest diameter. The periphery is well defined and capsuled, colour on section pinkish red, consistence soft but fairly On microscopic examination it proved to be a lymphofirm. sarcoma." After the operation the wound did very well for nearly a month, but then several small nodular growths were seen near the edge of the almost healed wound, and one larger one very deep in the right groin. From their position and surroundings I concluded I was scarcely justified in operating again, so told the owner that the dog would ultimately have to be destroyed. The owner was much attached to the dog and wished to keep him as long as possible. I asked him to let me have the body when the dog died, and he promised to do so. About the end of March the dog died and the owner had him buried at once, as owing to the usual native prejudice he did not want a post-mortem examination to be held.
THE USE OF ETHYL CHLORIDE AS A LOCAL ANJESTHETIC.
By F. HOBDAY, Professor of Therapeutics, Royal Veterinary College, London. As I am unable to find any allusion to the use of this substance as a local an::esthetic in our text-books, I thought that perhaps a few notes on its application might prove of value. Ethyl chloride is a clear fluid with an ethereal odour, and said to be absolutely non-poisonous; it is highly inflammable, and care must be taken not to work with it near a naked light. It is recommended in human practice for dental and minor surgical operations, and also for cases in which the application of intense cold is likely to afford relief. It is conveniently supplied in glass tubes specially designed to concentrate the stream on any particular area and to prevent waste. In veterinary practice its action as a local an::esthetic is especially valuable for such cases as the removal of small tumours, sitfasts, etc., the painless lancing of abscesses, and various minor operations. The method of application is to clip the hair as closely as possible off the part to be operated upon, cleanse and dry the skin thoroughly, and then allow the stream of ethyl chloride to play upon it (holding the tube a short distance away) until the skin turns white; this takes place in from half a minute to a minute and half or two minutes. If sensation returns before the operation is finished the spray can be reapplied. The process of healing is not in any way retarded by the use of the an::esthetic. The following cases will illustrate its action : CASE I.-27th May. St. Bernard dog, suffering from a large abscess under the throat. The hair was clipped off as closely as possible and the spray applied for one and a quarter minutes, when the skin was quite white; the animal was not secured in any way and
228
CLINICAL ARTICLES.
did not evince the slightest consciousness of pain; one and a half minutes later the wound was made larger by continuing the incision, but there was still no sign of pain. CASE II.-28th May. Manchester terrier, operated upon for the removal of a sebaceous cyst. The spray was applied for one and a half minutes, when the cyst was painlessly excised. Sensation commenced to return one and a half minutes after the spray had been discontinued. CASE II I.-29th May. Fowl, for amputation of a digit. The spray was applied for three-q uarters of a minute, and the bird evinced no consciousness of pdin whilst the operation was being performed. CASE IV.-3rd J line. Fox terrier, to lance an intensely painful abscess in the right supra-orbital region. The spray was applied for one minute, the abscess being lanced and its contents squeezed out without any pain being evinced. Before the spray was applied it was only with the greatest difficulty that the abscess could be examined on account of the pain exhibited. CASE V.--9th June. A very nervous, fat, pug dog with a large and painful abscess on the quarter. The spray was applied on the spot to be lanced for one minute, and the abscess lanced quite painlessly. CASE VI.-Fox terrier, very vicious, suffering from a lipoma between the claws of the right hind foot. The spray was applied for three-quarters of a minute, and the tumour dissected out within the next two minutes without the animal' evincing the slightest sign of pain.
A CASE OF EQUINE TUBERCULOSIS.
By G. C. HILL, M.R.C.V.S., Glasgow. SUBJECT.-A valuable four-year-old colt, bred by the owner, first seen by us on the 28th day of November 1895. He had a companion, a half brother. During summer he went at grass, and was wintered in a box. His half brother under such treatment was in the pink of condition, but our subject was as described below. His appetite was fairly good, and he took a good rleal of hay. Conditioll.- Very thin, eczematous, dull and listless. Head carried so that poll is in a horizontal line with withers; he is seen to lower head but not to raise it; stands in a corner of the box and is disinclined to move. When pulled out he does not brace up and draw himself together, but goes on in a spread-out style. He walks, trots, and backs sound, but sluggishly; turns very wide, more so to the near side. One can freely raise and lower his head, but he resents the turning it on to his shoulders, more especially to the near one. On this side, oyer the lower cervical vertebr
227
"Tumour is irregularly elliptical in outline, measuring 10 by 6 by 5 cm. in its greatest diameter. The periphery is well defined and capsuled, colour on section pinkish red, consistence soft but fairly On microscopic examination it proved to be a lymphofirm. sarcoma." After the operation the wound did very well for nearly a month, but then several small nodular growths were seen near the edge of the almost healed wound, and one larger one very deep in the right groin. From their position and surroundings I concluded I was scarcely justified in operating again, so told the owner that the dog would ultimately have to be destroyed. The owner was much attached to the dog and wished to keep him as long as possible. I asked him to let me have the body when the dog died, and he promised to do so. About the end of March the dog died and the owner had him buried at once, as owing to the usual native prejudice he did not want a post-mortem examination to be held.
THE USE OF ETHYL CHLORIDE AS A LOCAL ANJESTHETIC.
By F. HOBDAY, Professor of Therapeutics, Royal Veterinary College, London. As I am unable to find any allusion to the use of this substance as a local an::esthetic in our text-books, I thought that perhaps a few notes on its application might prove of value. Ethyl chloride is a clear fluid with an ethereal odour, and said to be absolutely non-poisonous; it is highly inflammable, and care must be taken not to work with it near a naked light. It is recommended in human practice for dental and minor surgical operations, and also for cases in which the application of intense cold is likely to afford relief. It is conveniently supplied in glass tubes specially designed to concentrate the stream on any particular area and to prevent waste. In veterinary practice its action as a local an::esthetic is especially valuable for such cases as the removal of small tumours, sitfasts, etc., the painless lancing of abscesses, and various minor operations. The method of application is to clip the hair as closely as possible off the part to be operated upon, cleanse and dry the skin thoroughly, and then allow the stream of ethyl chloride to play upon it (holding the tube a short distance away) until the skin turns white; this takes place in from half a minute to a minute and half or two minutes. If sensation returns before the operation is finished the spray can be reapplied. The process of healing is not in any way retarded by the use of the an::esthetic. The following cases will illustrate its action : CASE I.-27th May. St. Bernard dog, suffering from a large abscess under the throat. The hair was clipped off as closely as possible and the spray applied for one and a quarter minutes, when the skin was quite white; the animal was not secured in any way and
228
CLINICAL ARTICLES.
did not evince the slightest consciousness of pain; one and a half minutes later the wound was made larger by continuing the incision, but there was still no sign of pain. CASE II.-28th May. Manchester terrier, operated upon for the removal of a sebaceous cyst. The spray was applied for one and a half minutes, when the cyst was painlessly excised. Sensation commenced to return one and a half minutes after the spray had been discontinued. CASE II I.-29th May. Fowl, for amputation of a digit. The spray was applied for three-q uarters of a minute, and the bird evinced no consciousness of pdin whilst the operation was being performed. CASE IV.-3rd J line. Fox terrier, to lance an intensely painful abscess in the right supra-orbital region. The spray was applied for one minute, the abscess being lanced and its contents squeezed out without any pain being evinced. Before the spray was applied it was only with the greatest difficulty that the abscess could be examined on account of the pain exhibited. CASE V.--9th June. A very nervous, fat, pug dog with a large and painful abscess on the quarter. The spray was applied on the spot to be lanced for one minute, and the abscess lanced quite painlessly. CASE VI.-Fox terrier, very vicious, suffering from a lipoma between the claws of the right hind foot. The spray was applied for three-quarters of a minute, and the tumour dissected out within the next two minutes without the animal' evincing the slightest sign of pain.
A CASE OF EQUINE TUBERCULOSIS.
By G. C. HILL, M.R.C.V.S., Glasgow. SUBJECT.-A valuable four-year-old colt, bred by the owner, first seen by us on the 28th day of November 1895. He had a companion, a half brother. During summer he went at grass, and was wintered in a box. His half brother under such treatment was in the pink of condition, but our subject was as described below. His appetite was fairly good, and he took a good rleal of hay. Conditioll.- Very thin, eczematous, dull and listless. Head carried so that poll is in a horizontal line with withers; he is seen to lower head but not to raise it; stands in a corner of the box and is disinclined to move. When pulled out he does not brace up and draw himself together, but goes on in a spread-out style. He walks, trots, and backs sound, but sluggishly; turns very wide, more so to the near side. One can freely raise and lower his head, but he resents the turning it on to his shoulders, more especially to the near one. On this side, oyer the lower cervical vertebr