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CORROSION ANATOMY.

By BYRON ROBINSON,
Chicago, Ill.

Corrosion anatomy has long been employed (Swammerdan-1670) but the modern master was Dr. Joseph Hyrtl— 1811 to 1894-professor of anatomy in Prague (1837-1845) and in Vienna (1845-1894).

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Fig. 1. This specimen was corroded in HNO3 for weeks.

The dorsal

and ventral renal vascular blades are opened like a book, and
the calyces and pelvis is spread on one of its pages like a
picture.

One of the everlasting, permanent monuments of Hyrtl will be "Hyrtl's exsanguinated renal zone," an eponym I conferred on him some years ago (see Gray's Anatomy, 1905 edition, by DaCosta). Hyrtl demonstrated by corrosion anatomy that the kidney was composed of two vascular blades which come in contact at their periphery, but did not anastoomose, hence there remained an exsanguinated zone on the lateral longitudinal border. On account of an oversight in the

medical literature, I investigated this subject for some years independently and thought I had discovered something new in the double, non-anastomosing renal vascular blades. However, on perceiving that Hyrtl had discovered this anatomic fact in 1868 and published it in a few-paged pamphlet, I at once accredited him with his rightful honor-Hyrtl's exsanguinated renal zone. In 1868, as renal surgery was practically unknown, Hyrtl did not realize his wonderful and valuable discovery-now in the blooming of renal surgery "Hyrtl's zone"

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Fig. 2. This kidney was injected with wax and corroded some twomonths in nitric acid. The two vascular renal blades are closed while the scalpel is dividing "Hyrtl's exanguinated renal zone"the elective line of renal incision, with minimum hemorrhage.

is practically invaluable. Corrosion vascular anatomy is the most accurate of all anatomy. In fact, Hyrtl's zone would perhaps be still undiscovered without corrosion anatomy. Even the foremost surgeon of his day-the great Bilroth-who prac

ticed in the very city of Vienna where Hyrtl demonstrated the "exsanguinated renal zone," did not realize the value of Hyrtl's labors. I saw Bilroth in 1887 remove a white, partially transparent cyst-goose-egg size from the lateral longitudinal border of the kidney of a 10-year-old child. Bilroth carried the unruptured renal cyst about the arena, to expose, to the distinguished medical men present at his clinic perhaps for ten minutes. He returned to inspect the wound. It was not bleeding, haemorrhage had practically ceased in the kidney

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Fig. 3. An infant uterus one day old. This was corroded in nitric acid for weeks, and sketched while floating in fluid. It was first injected with celloidin.

when Bilroth-the foremost surgeon of his day-said, exactly 20 years ago, that since he had lacerated some of the substance of the lateral renal border he would be compelled to perform nephrectomy. Today we would call that surgery unjustifiable. However, corrosion anatomy is a tedious labor and accompanied by many failures, on account of nicety and delicacy of technique. The accompanying illustration is an ordinary sample of renal corrosion anatomy that makes it fascinating. Zon32

[graphic]

CORROSION ANATOMY.

It

Fig. 4. An adult uterus corroded for weeks in 50 per cent HNO3.
was injected with wax. The right side crumbled to such a de-
gree that it could not be accurately drawn.

deck, of Berlin, has recently done some excellent labors in corrosion anatomy. However, photographs lose much of the original beauty. Corrosion anatomy demonstrates that Hyrtl's exsanguinated renal zone is located one-half dorsal to the middle of the lateral longitudinal renal border-that this is the elective line of renal incision to expose the ureteral pelvis and calyces with minimum haemorrhage. To Hyrtl renal surgery owes

a monumental debt for his demonstration of what I have termed the "exsanguinated renal zone." It will serve as Hyrtl's imperishable "Denkmal."

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RENAL CORROSION ANATOMY.

Plate I. This illustration is a photograph or halftone of corrosion anatomy of the renal organ (with 5 ureters). Man's ureter, long on right, short left.

No. 1.

No. 2.

muses.

Child with distended ureteral dilatations and isth

No. 3. Antelope's ureter (distinct dilatations-spindles) and constrictions.

No. 4. A diseased, dilated, distorted renal pelvis and calyces.

No. 5. A beautiful corrosion of the ureteral pelvis, calyces, with dorsal and ventral blade of the renal artery. Ureteral pelvis and calyces.

No. 6.

[blocks in formation]
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