Statistical and pathological report of the cases of fever treated in the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh in the year ending September 30, 1842 / by Thomas B. Peacock.

  • Thomas Bevill Peacock
Date:
[1843]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Statistical and pathological report of the cases of fever treated in the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh in the year ending September 30, 1842 / by Thomas B. Peacock. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    But little importance can, however, be attached to this appear- ance as evidencing the existence of inflammatory action in the brain, since it is well known, that congestion of the cerebral ves- sels may be dependant on obstruction to the transmission of the blood through the lungs; and it is probable, that this cause may have operated in some of these cases, as I find, that of 12, in which the membranes are reported to have displayed unusual turgescence, or numerous red points exuded from the sub- stance of the brain in section, the lungs were found Slightly congested in 1 case, Much congested in 10 „ And inflamed in 1 „ While of 8 cases, in which no increased vascularity was detected, the lungs were Free from congestion in 1 case. Slightly congested in 2 „ Much congested iu 4 „ And inflamed iu 1 jj showing marked derangement of the pulmonary circulation in a larger proportion of those cases in which the congestion of the brain was noticed. In one of the above cases it is stated, that a layer of coagulated blood was found lining the arachnoid in the internal surface of the dura mater, over the hemispheres, and at the base. This occurred in a female 52 years of age, who died on the 14th day of fever taken in the institution. No laceration of any of the meningeal vessels, from which the blood had escaped, was detect- .ed. In this case Dr Bennett found exudation granules on the sides of some of the capillary vessels of the grey matter of the brain. In 2 or 8 other cases, evidences of old cerebral disease were observed. In one, adhesions existed between the contiguous margins of the two anterior lobes of the brain; and in a second, at the base between the reflections of the arachnoid. In one case, one or two small masses of bone were found adhering to the falx major. In conclusion, it will be apparent, that though in some of the cases the amount of fluid effused, and the degree of congestion of the cerebral vessels, corresponded with the symptoms present during life; yet that in the larger number but little relation could be observed between the appearances detected after death and the previous symptoms; the brain having been found free from any appearance which could be regarded as diseased in cases which had been characterized by disturbance of the cerebral func- tions during life, to as great a degree as any of those in which it exhibited the most decided morbid conditions. Microscopic examination of the cerebral structure may, indeed, afi'ord evi- dence of the results of inflammatory action in cases in which
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