Complete Record - Heirs of Hippocrates No. 2010

ALEXANDER JOHNSTON CHALMERS SKENE (1837-1900) Electro-haemostasis in operative surgery. D. Appleton 1899 x, 173 [5] pp., illus. 23.6 cm.

For more information on this author or work, see number: 2009

Skene was very active as a medical author and wrote five major textbooks as well as numerous scientific articles. He credited his large literary output to his habit of writing during the early hours before breakfast when he could work without interruption. He prepared the present work to supplement comments on electrohemostasis and cautery in the third edition of his major work--Diseases of women (New York, 1898). Electrocautery came into wide surgical use in the late 1870s and, in this book, Skene discussed its use in surgery of the female urogenital system. He described and illustrated the various instruments that may be used and discussed the effect that electrohemostasis has on the tissues. Among the several conditions he covered are ovariotomy, myomectomy, hysterectomy, appendectomy as well as removal of various types of tumors. The final chapters of the book are devoted to asepsis and antisepsis in surgery, in which he discussed construction, plumbing, heating, ventilation, and cleanliness in the hospital and operating rooms.

Gift of John Martin, M.D.