Observations respecting the pulse : intended to point out with greater certainty, the indications which it signifies, especially in feverish complaints / by William Falconer.

  • Falconer, William, 1744-1824.
Date:
1796
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations respecting the pulse : intended to point out with greater certainty, the indications which it signifies, especially in feverish complaints / by William Falconer. 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.

    61/162 (page 57)
    vantages which I fuppofe, it will be worthy the at- tention of medical pratSlitioners to examine and to note down the number of the natural healthy pulfeof each individual, for whom they have been, or may be likely to be concerned. This might ferve as a guide to diredl the judgment in time of ficknefs, and to enable the praftitioner at one view to reduce the proportion of the pulfe fo examined, to the ge- neral ftandard. Thus we may fuppofe an adult per- fon to be afFe(51ed with the ufual fymptoms of fever in a moderate degree, yet with a pulfe not exceed- ing 84. beats in a minute. This number, though rather exceeding the ufual rate, is not more than takes place fometimes, with- out greatly affefting the health, and might on that account lead the perfon confulted to aflign foine other caufe for the attendant fymptoms than what might be conneQed with fever, and to adt accord- ingly. But if the natural pulfe fhould be known to be no more than 64 in a minute, it would explain the apparent difficulty. For as 64 is to 75, fo is 84 to 98.437. which lad number of the pulfe is fufficient to indicate the ufe of remedies adapted to the cure of fever. Suppofe on the other hand a phylician to be called to a perfon in whom appeared fome flight inflammatory fymptoms, but with a pulfe of 1 / 120 in a minute. I'he latter circumflance might lead to an opinion that the fymptoms were at vari- ance, or elfe that the fever itfelf was of a putrid or malignant kind; in diforders of which tendency* I