"2nd. Extensive divisions of the peritoneum are not necessarily fatal by inflammation or otherwise, and probably not generally so.
"3d. That the womb, spleen, and ovaries, may be removed in the mode mentioned, without necessarily, and, presumptively, without generally destroying life.
"4th. That the gravid uterus may be torn open; the child may escape into the peritoneal sac; the os uteri may be torn off: not indeed, so far as these cases may be relied on, without great danger, but twice, in seven instances, without death. p. 28.
"5th. The peritoneum and abdominal viscera will bear more injury than the British surgeons seem disposed to admit.
"6th. That the above observations on the human abdomen, are in unison with those drawn from observations on the rabbit; and that observations made on the brute have more correspondence with those on the human being, than is generally believed."
Dr. Blundell next remarks, that the facts related create a suspicion that a bolder abdominal surgery would not be unattended with success, and recommends the following operations to "consideration merely, and not to practice, except in otherwise desperate cases."
1st. "When the Cesarian section is performed, divide or remove a small piece of Fallopian tube, so as to prevent the danger of reimpregnation, without destroying the sexual propensity. The need for a second operation might thus be certainly prevented, without scarcely increasing the danger."
2ndly. "Extirpation of healthy ovaries."
3dly. "The extirpation of the ovarian cyst in scirrhus, combined with dropsy, or in simple dropsy." He remarks, "This operation will, I am persuaded, ultimately come into general use; and if the British surgeons will not patronize and perform it, the French and American surgeons will." p. 26.
4thly. "The removal of a large circular piece of the cyst in ovarian dropsy, when the sac itself cannot be extirpated."