Observations on the injurious tendency of extreme depletion in inflammatory disorders : with remarks on the remedial agency of the vapour bath in acute and chronic diseases : illustrated by cases / by Edward Daniell, surgeon.

  • Daniell, Edward, 1795-1865.
Date:
1833
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations on the injurious tendency of extreme depletion in inflammatory disorders : with remarks on the remedial agency of the vapour bath in acute and chronic diseases : illustrated by cases / by Edward Daniell, surgeon. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

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    been generally fickle, speedily experience a desire for food, after taking a bath: but it is very obvious that much discrimination will be needful in satisfying this sudden demand of hunger, and the quantity and quality of aliment must be proportioned, not to the desire which may be then excited, but with reference to the previous condition of the digestive organs. All pain is generally removed while in the bath—the nervous energies have for the time become stimulated into increased action, but to oppress and load its naturally feeble state, which, under the influence of tempo- rary excitation has became unusually energetic, would be ultimately to reduce the state of the organ to a worse condi- tion than before. The Vapour Bath, as an auxiliary in the treatment of disease, possesses very considerable power, which renders it a matter of much importance that caution be exercised in its use. It is not a matter with which a man ought to quack, nor should it be employed in doubtful cases, where the whole bearings of the disorder cannot be apprehended by the medical adviser. Its influence is exceedingly extensive —the whole animal body is, more or less, brought into increased action by its power;—hence will appear the neeessity of bringing sound judgment into exercise when the Vapour Bath is proposed as a remedy. No man should employ it who is not pretty well conversant with the anato- mical connection of parts, the physiology of their function, and the pathology of their disordered action—for an error in these particulars might subject patients to very serious inconveniences. Yet the bath may, at all times, be taken with impunity, at a moderate temperature, by persons in health, as a means of preserving that valuable possession. It is one of the most delightful modes of purifying and cleansing the body. The accumulated and condensed per-