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Mr Spalding Gordon's Case,

Upwards of three years ago, Mr. Spalding
Gordon, who was then near 30 years of age re¬
ceived a Shot from a Pistol, and was wounded in
his right side -- The bullet fell directly upon
the last true rib, at the distance of six inches
or so from the Spine -- On the introduction of a
Probe immediately after the accident, the Rib
was found to be completely broke, and there
was no reason to doubt of the ball having
penetrated the Cavity of the Thorax -- It is
unnecessary to relate with minuteness all the
Circumstances that ocurred soon after the
accident, These in generall were such as are
usual in matters of this kind, and their
effects were obviated by ordinary means
But at one period of the Treatment for

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about three months after the accident, a
stoppage occurred to the Discharge from the
sore, which hitherto had been very plentifull
The breathing became much oppressed, and
a constant hectic fever prevailed, and Mr.
Spalding was altogether in such a state as
rendered his recovery very doubtfull, if it
was clear however that his Danger proceeded
from the matter being [pent?] up, and as there
was reason to apprehend immediate suffo¬
cation if a vent was not procured for it, an
opening was proposed to be made into the
Cavity of the Chest, and in effecting this
to follow as nearly as possible the direction
of the original sore -- This with a great
deal of Difficulty was accordingly done, for
as the matter was found to lye at lease
three Inches within the Ribs, and as the space
betwixt two Ribs (which was all the room

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could be procured) is very limited, The diffi¬
culty as well as Danger of getting into it, was
by no means inconsiderable -- As necessity
however paired out the propriety of the
remedy, and as Mr Spalding was in all proba¬
bility to be soon Carried off, if something
effectual was not now done for his relieff
Mr Bell the surgeon who performed the
operation, went slowly on with the point of
a Scalpel making one scrotch after
another, (till very fortunately), till very
fortunately a great quantity of purulent
matter was Discharged -- This procured
immediate relief from Danger -- The opening
has since been preserved open by {illeg}, and
the Discharge has been pretty Considerable
sometimes near a Table Spoonfull upon tak¬
king out the {illeg} in the morning - About
a Twelve month ago some fresh gathering

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seemed to have taken place for it discharged
as great a quantity of purulent ↑matter↑ as when
the original operation took place -- In the
Month of December last the Discharge gradu¬
ally lessened, & in a few weeks the Discharge
it was scarce perceptible. It Continued in this
situation till the month of may last during
all which time Mr Spalding ↑was Confined & his ↑ Cough was
very severe, particularly in bed, but at
this time he felt no Shortness of breathing
and his pulse was rather low than feverish
-- Since he has been able to go abroad, it has
sometimes Discharged , and at other times
been almost dry, & he has always ob¬
served that his Cough & Spitting has been
always releived by the Discharge, and that
the Discharge has generally been brought
only fatiguing Rides, or any Stimulant
that tend to heat and accelerate the Cir¬

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culation of the blood --

Mr. Spalding finds much Distress
and Inconvenience either when the sore
drdrys up, or when the Discharge is Con¬
siderable, which it generally is when
it Discharge at all, ffor in the first
Case he is troubled with a frequent
Cough & spitting, & in the other Case
he finds that the quantity Discharged
renders him very weak, & relaxes him
exceedingly - He is therefore anxious
to know if Doctor Cullen can suggest
any thing that could give him relieff
in such situation -

The Entrance to the sore lyes
fortunately at the most depending part
of the sinus, for on the introduction of a
probe it cannot be made to pass
downwards, but it moves with freedom

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laterally, and passes with great Ease in
in oblique Direction across the Right
side of the Chest towards the upper part
of the scapula -- This indeed it did from
the first, which led the surgeon to
Conjecture that the ball had taken
that Course, altho' it was never detected
by the probe -

The bark in quantities has been
used at Different times, & with a view to
trace the system the Cold bath has been
employed ----

Mr Spalding
Gordon's Case
for
Doctor Cullen
September 1784

V.XVI p.167