Report on the epidemic fever of Edinburgh : an account of the symptoms and treatment / by William Henderson. Analysis and details of forty-seven inspections after death / by John Reid.
- Henderson, William, 1810-1872.
- Date:
- [1840-?]
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Report on the epidemic fever of Edinburgh : an account of the symptoms and treatment / by William Henderson. Analysis and details of forty-seven inspections after death / by John Reid. 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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![healthy blood. Two of these were bled on the sixth day ; 1 on the seventh ; 2 on the ninth ; 1 on the eleventh. Those bled on the two last dates had the crassamentixm of the least consistence. With the exception of 2, who were bled with much relief to twenty and twenty-seven ounces, those last cases did not bear venesection well. One died on the ninth day, and in the others, the disease extended much beyond the average of the cases that were bled, for it lasted on an average sixteen days, and one extended to the twenty-first. Among the men only 13 cases were bled ; the average quan- tity was twenty-five ounces; the largest was forty-six ounces, in the course of four days, which was borne well, and succeeded by recovery. Ten of them were bled on the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh days; 2 on the ninth ; and 1 on the twelfth, for the first time. Twenty-four ounces were the most taken at one time, and in patients of both sexes, the quantity at each venesection was re- gulated by the effects, either relief of the symptoms, or feebleness of the pulse. With the exception of one, aged 46, and of another, aged 14, the ages, as far as could be ascertained, were between 18 and 30. Two died, one aged 25, the other 30. The former, a robust man, was bled only to twelve ounces on the seventh day; and on the tenth, the pulse was moderate in strength, and beat 108. Sudden cerebral symptoms came on on the eleventh, and after being furiously delirious for two days, he died comatose. The latter, bled between the sixth and ninth days to forty-two ounces, died on the fourteenth, having had very rapid respira- tions and delirium,but not a feeble pulse, (beating at 124 and 126,) for two days before his death. He had several gangrenous patches on the integuments of the chest, commencing on the twelfth day. The cases are too few, and the details too imperfect, to render a further analysis of them interesting. The only other facts connected with the treatment, which are worthy of being mentioned, relate to the means which were used to subdue the bronchitis. When not attended with much expec- toration, and when no other circumstances contraindicated the prac- tice, blood-letting, leeches, tartar emetic, and blisters, were the ordinary remedies. In a considerable number of cases, however, the abundance of the secretion appeared to threaten danger, Avhile these remedies were inadmissible, the blisters excepted. Under these circumstances, very great service was derived from the acetate of lead. It was given in doses varying from half a grain to two grains, several times a day, and usually in union with small quan- tities of the compound powder of ipecacuan, and one or two grains of squill. The effect in restraining the secretion was often a])- parcnt in a few hours. In several very severe cases of bronchitis with profuse secretion and rapid breathing, doses of tincture of](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21469969_0023.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
