October 1,
1878.]
COKKESPONDENCE AND MEDICAL NEWS.
Cornsponbrnc*. A DEATH CAUSED BY
MISTAKING PROSTATIC ENLARGEMENT FOR STRICTURE. Sir,?On the 3rd February 1878 a man named Dobson, from Howrah, came to my private residence with his bladder enormously distended and hsemorrhage going on
from the urethra. His history was, that he had had stricture (?) for some time, and occasional fits of retention of urine, the present one having persisted for three days. One or more surgeons had tried to relieve him with the catheter, but had only succeeded in giving him great pain and causing the urethra to bleed. In consequence of his dread of instruments I called in another medical man who gave him chloroform, and I then passed a full-sized prostatic catheter into the bladder without any difficulty, there being an enlarged prostate bur, uo stricture, and drew off between eight and nine pints of bloody urine. Some clots remained in the bladder, and, anticipating further hasmorrhage, I advised him to stay in hospital, explaining to him his danger, and the necessity of either having a catheter tied in the bladder or submitting to the operation of perineal section. He refused to stop, returned home, and died next day. I am informed that Dobson's death has been attributed in certain quarters to the manner in which I passed the catheter, and I have therefore deemed it necessary to forward to your journal this statement of the actual facts of the case. Truly yours, Edward Lawrie. Calcutta, 15tli September 1878.
337
1878.]
COKKESPONDENCE AND MEDICAL NEWS.
Cornsponbrnc*. A DEATH CAUSED BY
MISTAKING PROSTATIC ENLARGEMENT FOR STRICTURE. Sir,?On the 3rd February 1878 a man named Dobson, from Howrah, came to my private residence with his bladder enormously distended and hsemorrhage going on
from the urethra. His history was, that he had had stricture (?) for some time, and occasional fits of retention of urine, the present one having persisted for three days. One or more surgeons had tried to relieve him with the catheter, but had only succeeded in giving him great pain and causing the urethra to bleed. In consequence of his dread of instruments I called in another medical man who gave him chloroform, and I then passed a full-sized prostatic catheter into the bladder without any difficulty, there being an enlarged prostate bur, uo stricture, and drew off between eight and nine pints of bloody urine. Some clots remained in the bladder, and, anticipating further hasmorrhage, I advised him to stay in hospital, explaining to him his danger, and the necessity of either having a catheter tied in the bladder or submitting to the operation of perineal section. He refused to stop, returned home, and died next day. I am informed that Dobson's death has been attributed in certain quarters to the manner in which I passed the catheter, and I have therefore deemed it necessary to forward to your journal this statement of the actual facts of the case. Truly yours, Edward Lawrie. Calcutta, 15tli September 1878.
337
