Lecture on the action of the cholera poison on the body, and its nature and history outside the body : delivered at a meeting of the Bengal branch of the Brit. Med. Assn. on the 19th January, 1870 : and the discussion of the subject on the 31st January and 8th February, 1870 / by John Murray.

  • Murray, John, 1809-1898.
Date:
1870
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Lecture on the action of the cholera poison on the body, and its nature and history outside the body : delivered at a meeting of the Bengal branch of the Brit. Med. Assn. on the 19th January, 1870 : and the discussion of the subject on the 31st January and 8th February, 1870 / by John Murray. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    posing that tlie symptoms are caused by the movements and living action of the germ ; and that on these movements ceasing, the symptoms mould subside ; but this cessation could not arise from the re-appearance of the gastric juice, for in collapse, none is secreted. In the innumerable cases which recover without use of medicine, Nature alone must supply the remedy. Simultaneously with the cessation of the collapse and com- mencement of re-action, there is a change observed in the character of the evacuations, showing the presence of Vile. Could this bo Nature’s repressing influence ? Fost-morlem examinations show that there is bile accumulated in the gall bladder, which, in the most intense cases, is often much dis- tended. The bile evidently has not been allowed to enter the intestines, from some unknown cause. If this cause were spasm of the ductus communis, which would give way or cease, on the total paralysis of nervous system when death approaches, the bile might then escape, and entering the intestines come in contact writh the active germ, and cause its death, or suspend its action; and reproduction which, having been the cause of the collapse, would thus allow the restoration of the natural functions and of health. The primary action of the poison is on the nervous system, and limited to that portion supplying the organic life. The secondary action is on the mucous surface of the intestines. I attribute the diminished secretion and excretions to diminished nervous energy ; and the feeble action of the heart to the same cause ; which when intense, induces total suppression of the functions, or paralysis of the sympathetic and ganglionic nerves. The term paralysis is generally associated with loss of muscular power, and may be considered inappropriate where the muscular contraction of the intestines forms one of the most prominent symptoms in one stage of the disease, after the other functions of the sympathetic have been suspended. But they yield in progression—first, the secretion of gastric justice—then of bile—then of urine—then the purification of the blood in