A treatise on pulmonary consumption : comprehending an inquiry into the causes, nature, prevention, and treatment of tuberculosis and scrofulous diseases in general / by James Clark.

  • Clark, James, Sir, 1788-1870.
Date:
1835
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A treatise on pulmonary consumption : comprehending an inquiry into the causes, nature, prevention, and treatment of tuberculosis and scrofulous diseases in general / by James Clark. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

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    be too strongly pressed upon the consideration of the profes- sion ; so much importance do I attach to this disordered state of the digestive organs as a source of tuberculous disease. I shall now notice the leading symptoms by which this affection of the digestive organs is characterized,—more es- pecially in children, in whom it is so important to attend to it. The tongue is redder than natural, especially towards the extremity and along the margins; the anterior part is thickly spotted with small red points of a still brighter colour, the central portion being more or less furred, in general according to the duration of the disorder; sometimes the tongue is co- vered with a dirty whitish fur, through which the red papilla? project; in which case the central part of the tongue is often dry and of a brownish colour in the morning. There is ge- nerally some thirst: the appetite is variable, more frequently craving than deficient, seldom natural; and the breath is fetid. The bowels are generally confined, though occasionally they are too loose; the evacuations are always unnatural, generally of a pale, greyish colour, of the consistence and appearance of moist clay; and they are often mixed with mucus and par- tially digested food. The urine is often turbid, sometimes high-coloured, and at other times too abundant and pale. The skin is generally harsh and dry, or subject to cold perspira- tions, particularly the hands and feet, which are habitually cold; copious partial night-sweats are common. The sleep is seldom sound,—the child is restless, and talks in his sleep, or grinds his teeth. When this disordered state has continued for some time, the complexion loses its natural colour, and the face has a pasty, faded aspect; the child is languid, disinclined for exercise or play, and generally fretful; a train of secondary disorders, also soon appears, as a consequence of the irritation of the digestive organs. The internal fauces become full and red, inflamma- tory sore-throats are common, and the tonsils often become