The Lettsomian lectures delivered at the Medical Society of London, 1872, on the pathology and treatment of some diseases of the liver / by S.O. Habershon.

  • Habershon, S. O. (Samuel Osborne), 1825-1889.
Date:
1872
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The Lettsomian lectures delivered at the Medical Society of London, 1872, on the pathology and treatment of some diseases of the liver / by S.O. Habershon. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    There are some severe forms of neurosis in connec- tion with, the liver and stomach which are difficult of explanation, and which are often very incorrectly referred to gall-stone or to gout. It is perfectly true that spasmodic contraction and severe pain are induced at the pylorus by inflammatory congestion of the mucous memhrane, following excesses and intem- perance ; so, also, by ulceration and cancerous disease of these parts; but the pain indicated is of a different kind, and 2)osf-mo7'tem examination does not reveal these diseases. Again, intense pain in the region of the gall-bladder and ducts is sometimes due to gall-stone not extending as far as the hepatic duct, and therefore not producing jaundice ; or the calculus, as we have known, might be so angular that bile could pass beside it; but the cases to which we refer have presented no gall-stones. In these instances, there is no indication of gout in the history or in the general symptoms, and there is no disease of the spine ; we employ the term neuralgia as a mere designation. In a man of middle life, who had spent many years at sea as a captain in the merchant service, the periodical attacks of severe pain were so intense, with scanty mucous vomit, that I fully expected to find gall-stones or ulceration in the duo- denum. He had remained for several weeks perfectly free from pain or distress, when another sudden attack prostrated his strength ; these paroxysms recurred,^ and in one of greater severity he sank. There were no gall-stones; no ulceration of the stomach or intestine: