The works of William Cullen : containing his physiology, nosology, and first lines of the practice of physic; with numerous extracts from his manuscript papers, and from his treatise of the materia medica / Edited by John Thomson.

  • Thomson, John, 1765-1846.
Date:
1827
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The works of William Cullen : containing his physiology, nosology, and first lines of the practice of physic; with numerous extracts from his manuscript papers, and from his treatise of the materia medica / Edited by John Thomson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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

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    pains we have instances of stones of considerable size passing from the kidneys to the bladder without much pain, while on other occasions a very small stone will give the most exquisite pain. In the one case the stone induces an irritation and con- striction, by which the pain becomes considerable upon a small distention. “ It is highly probable that spasmodic constrictions take place in the blood-vessels also, and have a considerable share in mo- difying the pains which, as I formerly mentioned, arise from dis- tention, and in producing the various sensations of impulse which I noticed, (page 55.) You will now perceive that spasm probably has a greater share than has been imagined in concur- ring with, and modifying pains from distention. Thus, I refer the pain from inflammation to distention by an increased impe- tus in the part of the fluids, which are pushed on in greater quantity, and with a greater velocity than that which the vessels can admit; but it is probable that neither the pain nor the ob- struction would arise, if a spasm did not concur with the increas- ed impetus of the fluids. “ Another modification of pain which deserves notice, is that which arises in parts where no external impression is made, in consequence of impressions made upon distant parts, from which they are propagated. (See LX. 2.) 64 Pruritus.—This symptom is very properly subjoined by Gaubius, who calls it sensatio dolori proximo,. It is not pain, but approaches to it: thus, certain chemical acrimonies give only a pruritus, which arises to a certain degree of tickling; in a more concentrated state they produce smarting and pain. The sensation of pruritus, however, does not always infer che- mical acrimonies; the vermes intestinales excite an itching at the nose, which is no otherwise to be explained than by an oscillation propagated along the whole alimentary canal and fauces, till it reaches the more sensible part of the nose, where the epithelium terminates. The same thing holds in the case of calculi, and in the ardor urinae from gonorrhoea. “ To the head of pain, and especially that of pruritus, Gaubius adds a set of feelings, which belong to the appetites and pro- pensities which I have enumerated in CXIX. 4. and 5. They arc frequently sensations sai generis, very often of