Synopsis
The First Lines Of The Practice Of Surgery: Designed As An Introduction To Students, And A Concise Book Of Reference For Practitioners by Samuel Cooper. This early 19th-century surgical manual is designed as both a student introduction and a practical reference for practicing surgeons. It frames an agenda of improved, more accurate surgical knowledge, situating itself as a companion to Cooper’s Dictionary of Surgery and previewing a planned second volume. The portion presented includes the Contents and the opening Part I, centering on inflammation and its local and systemic manifestations, diagnostics, and pathophysiology, with debates among authorities such as Hunter and Meckel. It covers causes of inflammation, principles of treatment (bleeding, purgatives, diet, rest, heat and cold), and special topics like fever types, suppuration, and mortification. The text then surveys battlefield and civilian surgery more broadly, including gunshot wounds, amputations, wound care, ulcers, encysted tumours, ganglions, sarcomas, and cancer, emphasizing anatomy-driven decision making, timely extirpation when feasible, and cautious technique to minimize mortality. The work targets students and surgeons in an era of empirical observation and evolving surgical doctrine, with promised coverage of head injuries, eye diseases, and other subjects in Part II.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.