Two Essays on the Diseases of the Spine. I. on Angular Curvature of the Spine and Its Treatment. II. on the Treatment of Lateral Curvature by Gravitat (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1844 Excerpt: ... but the exact deformity depends upon the numbers of the bodies of the vertebrae destroyed. The following sketch, taken from life, will illustrate the deformity which occurs. The vertebras, like other bones, are liable to common inflammation. When in an active state, the vascularity of their substance is greatly increased. They become enlarged by tumefaction and by deposition of coagulable lymph within their substance: they are highly reddened, suppuration takes place, and pure pus is secreted. The parts around participate in the mischief, and ulceration at length commencing, they are rapidly destroyed. Ulceration commencing in the bodies of the vertebras is one of the most frequent affections to which the spinal column is subject. In many cases the anterior vertebral ligament covering the bodies is the first part affected; it becomes absorbed, and the ulceration extends to the vertebrae, which it covers. In other cases the disease commences in the centre of the intervertebral cartilage, and soon extends to the bodies of the contiguous vertebrae; but in the greater number of cases the ulceration decidedly originates in the substance of the bodies of the vertebrae themselves. "When ulceration begins in the centre of the fibro-cartilages, it often extends so rapidly to the neighbouring vertebrae, as to destroy one or more of the bodies before the whole of the intervertebral substance has been absorbed. This is mentioned to show that in the advanced stage of the disease we are very liable to be mistaken as to the structure wherein it commenced. The first appearances of approaching ulceration in the bodies are, an unusual vascularity, with, in most cases, a loosening of the anterior vertebral fascia, and subsequently of the intervertebral substances from the ve...