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Inversion of the Uterus successfully reduced on the sixteenth day after the Accident

1859; Elsevier BV; Volume: 38; Issue: 76 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1097/00000441-185910000-00070

1538-2990

NULL AUTHOR_ID,

Urological Disorders and Treatments

ing the discourse of Dr. Sims, was reminded that he had read somewhere the report of a successful case operated upon in which the silver suture was used.He instituted a correspondence on the subject, and finally found that it was reported in a London journal in the year 1835.Dr. Simpson is a very ingenious man, and ready to adopt any improvement that gives promise of value, but this case passed him unnoticed, and would, in all probability, never have been thought of again if he had not read the discourse of Dr. Sims.The remarks of Sidney Smith, in the defence of Hamilton, who established a system of educa¬ tion, when the critics denied the originality of the system, are very appropriate.He says : " Whether Hamilton is or is not the inventor of the system that bears his name, or what his claims to originality may be.are questions of very secondrate importance ; but they merit a few observations.That man is not the first discoverer of any art who first says the thing; but he who says it so long, so loud, and so clearly that he compels mankind to hear him.The man who is so deeply impressed with the importance of the discovery that he will take no denial, but. at the risk of fortune or fame, pushes through all opposition, and is determined that what he has discovered shall not perish for the want of a fair trial.Other persons had witnessed the effect of coal gas in producing light; but Windsor worried the town with bad English for three winters before he could attract any serious attention to his views.Many persons broke stone before Macadam, but Macadam felt the importance of the discovery more strongly, stated it more clearly, persevered in it with greater tenacity, wielded his hammer, in short, with greater force than other men, and finally succeeded in bringing his plan into general use."When Civiale brought before the profession of Paris his admirable surgical operation, called lithotrity. the critics attempted to write him down, and denied that the process of breaking down stone in the bladder was a new invention.After having proved that he was not the inventor of his instruments, they attempted to show that the instruments themselves were detestable, and further, that Civiale did not know how to use them.Civiale, however, was happy in his associations.The eminent Chaussier and Percy concluded their report upon the subject of Lithotrity, to the Academy of Science, in these words: "Litho¬ trity is glorious for French surgery, honourable to its inventor, and consoling to humanityand a writer, in reply to those critics, who would deprive Civiale of the merit of originality, says; "In effect, the only true proprietor of a sur¬ gical improvement is he who applies it successfully, all theoretical reasonings and the cavillings of ehronologists to the contrary notwithstanding."Whether Dr. Sims bases bis claims for distinction upon his indomitable per¬ severance under repeated failures and disappointments, ill health, and other im¬ pediments, in endeavouring to establish the curability of vesico-vagmal fistula, or merely upon the introduction of the silver suture, as embracing the whole merit, he is clearly entitled to it, and these just acknowledgments no more de¬ tract from the merit of those who have made valuable improvements than those improvements detract from the merits of the original inventor.1 have made these few remarks in justice to the profession, rather than from any partiality from any individual member.Whatever an individual member may do that redounds to his honour, sheds a proportionate lustre upon the whole profession, and nothing detracts from it so much as our own bickerings and injustice to each other.