Medical and physiological problems, being chiefly researches for correct principles of treatment in disputed points of medical practice / by William Griffin and by Daniel Griffin.

Date:
1845
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Medical and physiological problems, being chiefly researches for correct principles of treatment in disputed points of medical practice / by William Griffin and by Daniel Griffin. 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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    ]0 and she took a fair quantity of nourishineut daily, chiefly gruel or steeped bread. We now watched the state of the abdomen with much anxiety, and especially about the left iliac region, where the pain commenced before, and where indeed the inju- rious effects of distention were likely to be first felt, as in all ju’obability the sloiiglung extended as far as the sigmoid flexure of the colon. There was already a considerable fulness, but as Ihere was no tenderness whatsoever on pressure, and as we had just a chance that a natural motion miglit take place, we still refrained from giving a purgative. About the seventh day from tliat on which the bowels were last moved, the tenderness in the lei’t ilium, as we anticipated, was again felt, and it was soon fol- lowed by pain and feverishness, with a disposition to vomit.— There was now no doubt on our minds that the recuri'ence of tlie attack was attributable to distention, and not to perforation of the intestine, as we had apprehended. After giving a large opiate, therefore, she was ordered a few grains of calomel, Avith mild doses of castor oil and jalap every second hour, until the bowels Avere freely movci’■, Great relief Avas obtained, but the pain and tenderness of the abdomen finally subsided on resuming the opiates for tAvclvc or fourteen hours after the purgative had ceased operating. Although she Avas uoav for the third time freed from all symp- toms of active inflammation, Ave could not but consider her situa- tion as very precarious. One should be very sanguine to look foi-Avard Avith any confidence to the healing of such an extensive sore as remained after the detachment of a slough of fifteen or sixteen inches in length, and from Avhich still matter Avas daily discharged, Avhen the most minute ulcerations of the i-ectum are so troublesome and difficult of cure. While it Avas considered an object, under these circumstances, to keep the boAvels as long as one safely could Avithout acting, care Avas taken that no injurious accu- mulation should again occur. A mild purgatiA'e Avas given at the farthest on every fourth day, Avhich operated Avithout creating pain or uneasiness, and by diminishing the interval gradually, the boAvels Avere after a little brought to act daily Avith a small dose of infusion of rhubard and cascarilla. She Avas still hoAVCA’cr unable to sit up in the bed, or to turn to either side on account of tlie excessive soreness inside the sacrum : the motions continued to be smeared Avith matter; sometimes small bits of fresh slough came