Page:A descriptive catalogue of the Warren Anatomical Museum.djvu/277

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and much pain in spine, during a considerable part of the time. The lung adhered strongly to the carious vertebrae ; and, on tearing it away, there was an escape of pus. Some tubercles in one lung, and with pus in the kidneys. Speci- men prepared by Dr. E. 1859. J)r. C. Ellis. 1375. Destruction by caries of the whole body of the seventh dorsal vertebra, almost the whole of the eighth, and about one-third of the sixth. Curvature marked, but not great ; there being quite a large open space in front, and anchy- losis between the spinous processes of the sixth and seventh vertebrae for the support of the column. The theca is ex- posed to a large extent, and the general appearance is that of an old and arrested disease. The bodies of the two upper lumbar vertebrae are also extensively carious ; more than one-half of the body of the second being destroyed, and the whole of the first, excepting the very upper portion. This last disease appears recent and progressive, as com- pared with the above ; and the curvature is sufficient to have brought the diseased surfaces nearly into contact. Between these two portions of the spine the bodies are somewhat diseased superficially, and the intervertebral substance between two of the lower dorsal vertebrae is de- stroyed ; but otherwise the spine, the whole of which is pre- served and has been prepared by Dr. J., is healthy.

The patient was a German woman, aet. twenty-six years, and accustomed, as her countrywomen are, to carrying heavy weights upon her head. In Nov., 1847, having always be- fore this time had robust health, she was in a steam-car, that was thrown off the track and demolished, about a mile and a half from this city. Several persons were killed, and she was half buried by the ruins of the car that she was in. On her arrival in this city she was able to walk, with assistance, to a carriage, and from the carnage into a house. An hour or two afterwards she was seen by Dr. J., who did not think her dangerously injured. On re- moving her corsets she complained of considerable dyspnrea, and of much pain about the middle of the dorsal vertebrae ; saying that she felt as if she had been u twisted off." There was also tumefaction of the integument at the same part, with projection of the spinous processes, and in a few

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