Palla Ákos szerk.: Az Országos Orvostörténeti Könyvtár közleményei 13. (Budapest, 1959)

Dr. I. CSILLAG and Dr. H. JELLINEK: From primitive Haemostatic Methods to Modern Vascular Surgery

FROM PRIMITIVE HAEMOSTATIC METHODS TO MODERN VASCULAR SURGERY By dr. I. CSILLAG and dr. IL JELLINEK (Budapest) Ancient Therapeutic Methods of Haemorrhages of Traumatic Origin O

ne is susceptible to forget in contemporary medical practice the hard way leading from the very beginnings of medicine to the possibility of working today bloodless even in the inside of the heart. This way was not at all straight, but sometimes ascenting, getting into mazes at times or just sloping downwards. The problem of tendig and treatment of vascular injuries (haemorrhages) has run through the entire history of mankind, moreover, it may be regarded as older than mankind itself. Already the hurt and bleeding animal tries to help himself and to get into a better condition. The wounded dog keeps licking his wound. Monkeys press leaves of trees into their bleeding wounds. The caveman had been constantly exposed to traumas the traces of which are detectable on the bones preserved for later centuries. The caveman must have tried to cure his wounds in a similar w

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ay. They may even have known some primitive methods for the suturing of wounds. The Indians of Brasil for instance use ants which have strong mandibles to closely hold together the lips of the wound. The insects are decapitated after doing this job, heads remaining on the wound and mandibles practically acting as wound-clips.