This is not the only instance of patients in whose cases physicians
and surgeons have pronounced amputation to be unavoidable, and who,
upon their refusing to submit to it, have afterwards been cured by very
simple treatment. This ought to be a lesson for us never to be too
precipitate in having recourse to this operation.
But what must be done, they will say, when every medicine has failed?
Is it not better, in such a situation, to try a doubtful remedy, as
Celsus expresses it, than to do nothing?
As what is called a doubtful remedy, is for the most part no remedy at
all, I look upon such an argument as very fallacious; I shall explain,
what I think on this point. Every mortification is the consequence
either of some internal morbid cause, or an external accident. In the
first case, amputation can be of no service while the morbid cause
remains; and who can hope, in so short a time, to remove a consumption,
the scurvy, a decay from old age, a dropsy, or cachexy? And if these
cannot be removed before amputation, it is to very little purpose to
operate on the sound part, as it would only be killing the patient. Is
there a physician or surgeon but would conclude he occasioned the death
of a dropsical person, were he to cut his mortified leg off above the
knee? What is true in a dropsical case, is equally so with respect to
others: To amputate, is only to give needless pain, and to accelerate
the patient's death. It may be further asked, Must we then in such a
situation intirely abandon the patient? I answer, No; but we ought to
direct our efforts against the morbid cause, and at the same time,
employ the most effectual applications externally, lopping off whatever
is absolutely mortified, without cutting to the quick, lest the pain,
and other accidents which are the consequence of such incisions, should
hasten death. After this treatment, the remainder may be left to
nature, assisted with the most efficacious medicines, internal as well
as external; and if the patient dies, we may rest satisfied that the
disease was beyond the resources of art.