An essay on the nature and treatment of the Indian pestilence, commonly called cholera / by Henry Penneck.

  • Penneck Henry.
Date:
1831
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An essay on the nature and treatment of the Indian pestilence, commonly called cholera / by Henry Penneck. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    treme violence; have blinded the profession as well as the public to the real nature of this dreadful pestilence, and obtained for it the name of Cholera, I would en- deavour to check and control by the remedies used, or analogous to such as are used, in the common Cholera of this country ; all the while, however, keep- ing in mind, that I am here combating symptoms only, and not subduing the disease in its strongholds ; and careful lest by stimulating beyond a certain point, I may render the patient’s case more hopeless in the second stage. Stimulants and Narcotics.—The use of internal stimulants appears the most difficult part in the treat- ment of the disease ; and I must claim to be considered as speaking generally. Very little advantage would seem to have been derived from them, if we consider the appearances on dissection, which shew great in- jury in organs disposed to take on inflammatory action; for what else can we understand by %c the sanguineous congestion, and even active inflammation, more fre- quent in the bowels than in the stomach,”—of Mr. Scott; and “ the intestines bore marks of congestion, and of a sub-inflammatory state,”—of Dr. Keir ? These appearances would seem rather to indicate de- pletion than simple stimulants. After the premised bleedings have, in some measure, relieved the oppres- sion of the brain, some stimulants, employed with caution, seem likely to be attended with good effect. Thus, at first I would permit the patient to drink freely of warm, or rather hot, slight liquids, as mint tea, barley-water, gruel, or the like ; with the view of providing for the gentle discharge of the common con- tents of the stomach and bowels. I should then ad- minister forty minims of tincture of opium, in a wine- glass full of hot spirit and water (any spirit to which