Facts and observations relative to the fever commonly called puerperal.

  • Armstrong, John, 1784-1829.
Date:
1819
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Facts and observations relative to the fever commonly called puerperal. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    was not impeded at this period, it passed into what may be termed the second and last stage, which, towards the close, was marked by an exceedingly great prostration of the vital and voluntary powers. But the first approaches of this fatal stage were most clearly indicated by the rising of the pulse, which then generally ranged from be- tween 140 and 160 in the minute, and was very soft and compressible; it feebly struck the sides of the artery, and gave the idea that the heart was labouring hard to keep up the force of the circulation. About twelve hours before death, the pulse became thready, fluttering, and irregular, and so rapid as not to be correctly numbered. For some time after the accession of the second stage the skin remained at an increased temperature and dry, but then the patients almost constantly complained of chil- liness. The cheeks were alternately flushed and deadly pale, the eyes lost their lustre, the pupils were much dilated, and a kind of dewy perspiration stood upon the face and forehead. The pain gradually and entirely receded from the abdomen, which became much more dis- tended, and it usually happened that dark,