Observations and experiments on the efficacy and modus operandi of cupping-glasses, in preventing and arresting the effects of poisoned wounds / by Caspar Wistar Pennock.

Date:
1828
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations and experiments on the efficacy and modus operandi of cupping-glasses, in preventing and arresting the effects of poisoned wounds / by Caspar Wistar Pennock. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    to believe that this state of the nerves may be induced by pressure? —whether applied directly by weight, by ligature, or by the exhaust- ed cupping-glass? The application of the foregoing principles and experiments to practice in the treatment of poisoned wounds, has been detailed witli so much precision by Dr- Barry, that it would be superfluous for me to say any thing on that subject. But, during the investigations herein detailed, my attention has been forcibly directed to the aston- ishing effects which are produced by the application of the cupping- glasses, in arresting tetanic symptoms:—even where decided opistho- tonos has been exhibited, we have witnessed a subsidence of the symptoms, by means of pressure thus applied. I therefore venture to propose it, as one of the means of combating that terrific disease, traumatic tetanus. This variety of tetanus appears to be occasioned by the injury sustained bjr the sentient extremities of the nerves of the part wounded. It has occurred to me that if these wounded and irritated nervous extremities could be paralyzed, the general spas- modic action, which is produced by the local irritation, would be ar- rested. Would not pressure by weights, or ligatures, or the applica- tion of exhausted cups over the wound, or in its immediate vicinity, paralyze the sentient extremities of the wounded nerves, and thus sus- pend, and perhaps remedy, the general spasmodic action? If the constitutional symptoms should be arrested; as a security against their return, before the cup over the wound is removed, an in- cision so extensive as effectually to remove the wounded portion of the nerves ought to be made. Thus have been detailed the results of an investigation, which I hope will not be considered altogether profitless or uninteresting. The inquiry has been directed entirely to the attainment of a know- ledge of physiological facts without reference to any preconceived theory, and the results have been stated with candour and truth. Note.—In the course of my investigations, I have had occasion to observe several of the phenomena cited in page 4. In one instance, having divided the internal jugular vein of a dog, for the purpose of introducing a tube, jets of blood were observed to is- sue from the lower portion of the divided vein, at intervals which were synchronous with the expiration from the lungs. After this phenomenon had continued for nearly two minutes, the animal expe- rienced great difficulty of respiration, and died very shortly after- wards, manifesting all the symptoms of strangulation. Upon dissec-