Case of mollities and fragilitas ossium, accompanied with urine strongly charged with animal matter / by William MacIntyre.

  • MacIntyr, William.
Date:
1850
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Case of mollities and fragilitas ossium, accompanied with urine strongly charged with animal matter / by William MacIntyre. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    of the lamp, coagulated instantly into a uniform mass resem- J mg blanc-mange m colour and consistence. The coagulmn did not however, melt on the renewed application of heat nor by boiling in water. Dover’s powder, with aromatic cretaceous mixture, and a blister over the kidney^ were prescribed. On the 13th, a better night was reported, undisturbed by cough or diarrhoea, but the patient, though easier, was weaker, and looked more anaemic. The urine had again become loaded with lithates, presenting the appearance of lck gruel; it was acid, very spumous and glutinous, and its specific gravity had risen to 1040°. . 0n the ] 5th> Dr- Bence Jones, who had been for some time engaged in examining the composition of the patient’s urine, met us m consultation. At his suggestion, alum was added to the tonics in use, with the view of checking the exhausting excretion of animal matter; and for several days a hope was entertained that this object might be realized, the mine was found to vary more in density than it had yet done, fluctuating between 1035° and 1026°, with a cor¬ respondent reduction in the amount of animal matter yielded to heat, but the reactions with nitric acid were exactly the same as before. . Uudei' the diminished waste by the kidneys a temporary improvement took place; the pains were more tolerable the patient was able to sit up daily for an hour or two’ and continued to enjoy his food; but towards the end of November he again became weak and languid, and on the 7th of December he experienced a dreadful aggravation of lumbar pains. Crude opium and the preparations of morphia were severally tried, but they not only failed to procure sleep or relief, but disturbed his rest and confused his head. They were consequently discontinued. Some mitigation of suffering took place under the liberal use of Dover’s powder with the guaiacum mixture, and the external application of the alcoholic tincture of aconite; but progressive weakness and emaciation went on with accelerated pace, and the