A manual of the practice of medicine / by George Hilaro Barlow.

  • Barlow, George Hilaro, 1806-1866.
Date:
1861
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A manual of the practice of medicine / by George Hilaro Barlow. 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.

    122/756
    and again—as we have seen that tlic effect of the inflammation upon the pre-existing tissues is to diminish their vitality, and favour those degenerations in them, wliich we have spoken of as Hable to occur in the new matter ;—it must follow, that mercury, hy accelerating such changes, may cause the destruc- tion of those tissues into which tlie inflammatory elfusion has taken place. The action of mercixry is not, however, limited to any parti- cular tissue, but under its influence, nutrition languishes and absorption proceeds more rapidly. It produces, moreover, marked effects upon the blood itself, diminishing the quantity of the red corpuscles and probably that of the fibrine also, and it is possibly in this manner that it determines the formation of the less highly-vitahzed corpuscular lymph in preference to the more highly-vitalized fibrinous lymph. It may indeed be objected to this view of the action of mercury, that granula- tions form and ulcers heal under its influence, though this objection is rather apparent tlian real, for such ulcers have commonly a hardened base and edges, so that the vessels sup- plying the granulations may have been strangulated by plastic matter, the material of such induration. It is not, however, as a simple remedy that mercury is most used, or is most efficient in the treatment of inflammation; when it is combined with opium, and, if there be notldng to contraindicate it, with antimony, it constitutes a new one spe- cially applicable to the treatment of many forms of inflam- mation ; for, whilst, as we have already seen, the mercury exerts a peculiar influence upon the capillaries, and probably upon the blood as well, the antimony has a sedative action upon the heart, reducing the force, by which the blood is propelled to the part and the inflammatory action maintained. The opium acts not only in preventing the mercury from running oft' by the bowels, but also as a sedative to the nerves. By this combina- tion, then, we are furnished with, perhaps, the most eflScient of internal remedies for tlie treatment of inflammation of serous and fibrous tissues, and also of the parenchymata of viscera. The best mode of exhibiting it is after having bled the patient to approacliing syncope, (where the nature of the disease and his general condition appear to justify such a measm-e), to administer one of tlie pills in tlie formulaj (3) (4)* ; when the skin is harsh and dry, and the bowels not irritable, the draught (5) may be administered in the interval. The quantity of tlie * (3.) 9, Hydi arg. chlorid. gr. ij. Opil, gr. ss. Autim. pot. tart. gr. i. Cuiiserv. ros. q. s. Misce. Ft. pil. 4ta, vel 6ta, quaq. hora suinend.