Observations on the curability of consumption : by a new, safe and painless mode of treatment; illustrated in selections from three hundred and ten late cases.

  • Hall, W. W. (William Whitty), 1810-1876.
Date:
1847
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations on the curability of consumption : by a new, safe and painless mode of treatment; illustrated in selections from three hundred and ten late cases. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

    28/192 (page 26)
    Long continued dyspeptic symptoms, often end in con- sumption. A habit of taking medicine for trifling irregularities, leaves great numbers in the last stages of the disease, before they are aware that any thing serious is the matter. Losing rest at night, night-watching, a wounded spirit, long continued grief for the dead, want of occupation, incessant brooding over the past—these bring thousands yearly to the grave, through the powerful influence they have in producing Phthisis. An eminent practitioner, Dr. Maddock, of London, says of the causes of Consumption, they are either hereditary or accidental. The hereditary, the more frequent cause, descend- ing from persons of a hectic constitution, usually indicated by a smooth, fair and rosy complexion, light eyes, large trans- parent blue veins, fair or red hair, a narrow pointed chest, high prominent shoulders, long thin neck, and generally slen- der frame. The accidental, originating from different circum- stances, such as variations of temperature, imperfect nutrition, whether from deficient or improper food, breathing a vitiated atmosphere, depressing or exciting passions, insufficient cloth- ing, continued fever, fluor albus, or whites, or any weaken- ing discharges, continuing to suckle too long, excessive indul- gencies, onanism, intemperance, long continued courses of mercury; these are some of the more common causes; but a deranged state of health, it matters not how produced, pre- disposes, to tubercular disease. The causes of Consumption being so numerous, and its being transmissable, when produced, through several generations, why is it, that it has not before now, become the disease of the civilized world ? It has already become so. There is rea- son, and strong reason too, for the truth of the estimate made by some, that already, one-sixth of the people owe their death, more or less directly, to the existence of tubercles. At this rate, the globe would be depopulated were it not for an over- ruling Benevolence, which saves humanity from extinction, by