Pathological and practical observations on diseases of the abdomen : comprising those of the stomach, and other parts of the alimentary canal, œsophagus, cæcum, intestines, and peritoneum / by S.O. Habershon.

  • Habershon, S. O. (Samuel Osborne), 1825-1889.
Date:
1888
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Pathological and practical observations on diseases of the abdomen : comprising those of the stomach, and other parts of the alimentary canal, œsophagus, cæcum, intestines, and peritoneum / by S.O. Habershon. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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

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    symptoms of the primary disease ; if the congestion of the portal system is lessened, that of the liver is alao lessened, and so also the distension of the right side of the heart. Having lessened the cardiac oppression, the lungs are also relieved, the heart's action becomes more regular; the breathing is more free, and the patient^s distress propor- tionately relieved. The treatment of the secondary affection is often more important than that of the primary disease; thus it may be well to use expectorants to lessen the bronchitis, and stimulants such as ether, ammonia and ardent spirits, to help the action of the heart, so also digitalis may be of the greatest service ; but if we act upon the abdominal glands so as to increase their activity we shall more effectually lessen the primary, whilst we remove the secondary trouble. Purgatives and diuretics should be used; I prefer a com- bination of blue pill, or calomel, or the black suboxide of mercury, with squill and digitalis. At the same time other diuretics should be given, as the acetate, nitrate, citrate, or iodide, or acid tartrate of potassium, with nitric ether, broom, &c. If the bowels are confined a mercurial purgative or jalap, or scammony, should be prescribed; podopliyllin or elaterium may also be used, or the saline purgatives, as magnesia or aperient mineral waters. If the bowels act freely, and the patient is enabled to pass three or four pints of urine, the ascites is lessened, and the chest affection is relieved. The grey suboxide of mercury is often a good remedy in these cases in one-grain doses, so also the copaiba resin in ten or fifteen grains dissolved in spirit, and given in mucilage mixture. The gum resins and turpentine are also sometimes of service. In this form of dropsy tapping is less necessary than in hepatic ascites; relief is afforded by the means we have mentioned, or if absolutely necessary the legs may be punctured, and serum allowed to drain from them. There is a greater disposition to the supervention of peri- tonitis if tapping be performed. The third form of ascites is that which follows inflamma- tion of the peritoneum, inflammatory or 'peritoneal ascites. In strumous subjects, and in tubercular disease, serous effusion takes place, but we are now referring to those cases in which there is no such cachexia. The serous membrane