The classification and treatment of diseases commonly known as rheumatism / by Frank E. Peckham.

  • Peckham, Frank E.
Date:
1910
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The classification and treatment of diseases commonly known as rheumatism / by Frank E. Peckham. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University Libraries/Information Services, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University.

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    mechanical interference with the mechanism of the joint. This Jype of joint trouble is very slow (chronic) but continuously progressive. It requires several years to run through its course and also may remain slowly advancing throughout life. The enlarged terminal joints of the fingers are usually the first symptoms and during the active stage of atrophy and projecting bony contours, may become painful. Later when the larger joints (knees) are involved, there is more pain on ac- count of the villous arthritis as well as the eroded sur- faces and it is not uncommon to have the flexor mus- cles of such joints contract, these muscular contractures becoming of importance in treatment. In this class of cases some patients may go along with slowly enlarg- ing finger joints and involvement of larger joints re- sulting in more or less of an anchylosis. Over these joints some of the enlargement is very evidently due to an infiltration of the soft structures. In some other cases, if observed from time to time, these finger joints mav become more or less tender and even now and then somewhat red and inflamed (low grade). Usually these joints do not give so very much pain but are achy and tender (if knees) when walking or weight bearing. They are stiff and the knees bother much in going up or down stairs, the villi and erosions causing grating and creaking. It is necessary to consider the causes of this trouble as the modern treatment is aimed very largely at such causes. It is becoming