Fever physiologically considered; considerations on yellow fever, typhus fever, plague, cholera, and sea-scurvy; also the questions of contagion, and the quarantine laws; with an address to the public, &c. on the popular treatment of cholera / By David M'Connell Reed.

  • Reed, David M'Connell, -1889.
Date:
1846
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Fever physiologically considered; considerations on yellow fever, typhus fever, plague, cholera, and sea-scurvy; also the questions of contagion, and the quarantine laws; with an address to the public, &c. on the popular treatment of cholera / By David M'Connell Reed. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    all fevers depending on irritation of any of the vital organs, in a bad habit of body, or of those in close connexion with them; it can never be altogether favourable in fevers, depending on irritation esta- blished in any of those organs, particularly if the patient be plethoric, or his mind be in a disturbed state; for in the case of plethora, the irritation is apt to run into inflammation and consequent disorga- nization of the seat of the disease ; and in that of a disturbed mind the brain is generally involved, which soon puts an end to the patient’s existence. On the other hand, the conditions which lead to a favourable prognosis in fevers, are the unimportance of the organ, which is the seat of the disease, to the continuance of life; a good habit of body; moderate development of the system ; an easy mind. When all these conditions concur in the same individual there may be said to be absolutely no danger. But even when any of them takes place, it goes far to diminish the unfavourableness of the prognosis. Thus, should the mind be easy, even if the other unfavourable conditions be present, there is a great hope that the patient will eventually recover ; and vice versa, should the mind be very disquieted, the other conditions being the most favourable, there is great room to fear the case will terminate un- favourably. On the whole, then, we conclude, that the con-