A text-book of medical treatment : diseases and symptons / by Nestor Tirard.

  • Tirard, Nestor Isidore Charles, Sir, 1853-1928.
Date:
1900
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: A text-book of medical treatment : diseases and symptons / by Nestor Tirard. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by King’s College London. The original may be consulted at King’s College London.

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    Potassii Acetatis . gr. XX. Potassii Nitratis • gi’- V. Spiritus iEthei’is Nitrosi . . 5ss. Aceti Scilloe .... . tii.x. Liquoris Ammonii Acetatis • 3i,i- Aquae Camphorae ad ^j. Of diuretic remedies by far the most important is digitalis,, and it may be given in increasing doses so long as the patient is kept at rest and under observation. Preparations of squill, of scoparium, or of potassium nitrate may be given with digitalis. Occasionally, when the benefit from these remedies appears to have ceased, I have found diuretin of service, though sometimes it fails. If, in spite of these drugs, the oedema increases, it will be necessary to consider the advisability of operative measures. Large quantities of fluid may be removed by making incisions over the ankles. Many prefer to effect the same end by numerous small punctures over the legs, but the discomfort which ensues from the constant moisture is a great disadvantage. As in the treatment of renal dropsy, Southey’s tubes are often used with marked benefit. Owing to the dangers of start- ing inflammatory changes it is always desirable, when dealing with cardiac dropsy, to postpone operations as far as possible. In severe cases, when the accumulation of fluid within the abdominal cavity interferes with the freedom of movement of the diaphragm and so impedes both respiration and circu- lation, it will often be necessary to perform paracentesis. The symptoms of aortic regurgitation or aortic obstruc- tion present very marked differences in early and in late conditions. In the latter the symptoms resemble those due to failure of the mitral valve, and this, in all probability, i& due to the fact that, after aortic regurgitation has existed for a length of time, some degree of mitral regurgitation neces- sarily follows from over-distension of the mitral orifices ; hence, though the disorder may primarily be due to failure of the aortic valves, the symptoms of failure of the mitral valves become superadded, and in the main the lines of treatment are those adapted to mitral regurgitation. Before this stage has been reached, however, the patient will have experienced considerable discomfort from the failure of the