The principles and practice of surgery

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. 1886 Excerpt: ... Histological Elements.--A network of filamentous tissue existing in a greater or less degree constitutes the basis, or stroma, within which the cartilage cells are found, resting in a hvaline substance. The cells present the greatest variety both in form and size. They may contain from one to twenty nuclei. Chemically, an enchondroma consists chiefly of the phosphate of lime, and of a peculiar variety of gelatine called chondrine. Treatment.--The occasional spontaneous arrest of these growths, as ago advances, or as the general condition of the system improves, suggests the propriety of the employment of hygienic and therapeutical measures; and while I am unable to indicate any specific plan of treatment which could be regarded as applicable to all cases, nevertheless I am convinced that I have occasionally seen these growths, especially, when occurring in early life, upon the fingers, and upon the lower epiphysis of the radius, delayed and finally arrested, by air, exercin.', nutritious food and tonics. When such measures have failed, and the tumors are formed between the periosteum and the bone, as happens pretty often in connection with the epiphysis of the knee-joint, excision may be safely practised in a certain number of cases; and the operation is rendered the more safe in such cases by the fact that the articular surfaces are seldom involved. It must be remembered, however, that these eccentric enchondromata generally cause absorption of the outer wall of the bone, and that the tumor will be found usually more or less embedded in the cancellous structure. Free incisions, or the removal of portions of the projecting walls followed by injections, have occasionally succeeded when the enehondroma has assumed a cystic character. In other cases, the trea...