American Watchman And Delaware Advertiser

The curious surgical operation of acu puncturation (puncturing the skin and flesh, with a needle) is exciting considerable attention in England. It is said to be of Asiatic origin, and is more particularly employed in rheumatic diseases unaccompanied with inflammatory excitement. Mr. Churchill of London, speaks very decidedly in favor of this remedy in " local diseases of the muscular and fibrous structure of the body." The instrument used by him is a common sewing needle, fitted to a small ivory handle. The needle should be gradually introduced, with somewhat of a rotatory motion of the hand, and suffered to remain five or six minutes This operation neither produces pain, nor gives rise to bleeding. Among the cases detailed by him the following is transcribed.

[Balt. Amer.

The body of this man was bent nearly at right angles with the thighs, and his countenance indicated acute sufferings. He had been attacked, he said three days before, with darting pains in the loins and hips; every motion of the body produced an acute spasmodic pain, resembling an electric shock; and the attempt to raise the body to an upright position was attended by such insupportable agony, as obliged him to continue in this state of flexion rather than encounter it by altering his position. There was no more constitutional disturbance than was to be expected from three days and nights of constant pain ; the pulse was a little quickened, and the tongue white, but I attributed this derangement to the irritation set up by the pain, and loss of rest. I directed him to place himself across a chair for support during the operation, and I immediately introduced a needle of an inch and a half in length into the lumbar mass on the right side of the spine; in two minutes time, I observed that he seemed to rest the weight of his body more on his limbs, and in the next instant, without any inquiry being made, he observed that he felt his limbs stronger from the pain having left his hips. He next plainly indicated that the disease was lessened, by raising his body : from which he only desisted by being desired to remain at rest through fear of the needle being broken: After six minutes it was withdrawn; the man arose, adjusted his dress, expressed his astonishment, and delighted at the sudden removal of his disease, and having made his grateful acknowledgments, left the house with a facility as though he never had been afflicted.