Compend of the practice of medicine : based on the fourth revision of the quiz-compend.

  • Hughes, Daniel E., 1851-1902.
Date:
1892
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Compend of the practice of medicine : based on the fourth revision of the quiz-compend. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University Libraries/Information Services, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University.

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    given case depends upon the duration of the illness. In cases rapidly fatal, it is probable that the subject is overwhelmed by the poison ere the characteristic anatomical changes have time to develop. The changes in this disease are twofold, to wit: those due to the direct action of the infecting poison upon the blood, producing the group of symptoms constituting the fever; and those giving rise to the local inflammation, viz. : HypercBmia of the membranes of the brain and spinal cord followed by an exiidatioti of lymph and an effusion of serum, resulting in pressure on the brain and cord. The inflammatory changes are more marked in the membranes at the base of the brain than elsewhere. Symptoms. Divided, according to the severity of the lesion, into three groups, to wit: the common form, the fuhnmant, and the abortive. The Co?nmon Form begins abruptly with a chill, excruciating head- ache, persistent nausea, vo7niti?ig, vertigo, and an overwhelming sense of weakness. Within a few hours the muscles of the back of the neck become rigid and retracted, with decided paiji upon moving the head; this rigidity and retraction soon extends to the back, when opisthotonos occurs. There is great restlessness, and the surface of the body becomes highly sensitive {hypercssthesia). Cramps in the muscles of the legs and elsewhere, and spasmodic twitchings of the lips and eyelids come and go, and finally convulsiojis or delirium occur. Intolerance of light, and in some cases amaurosis, more or less deafness, loss of sense of smell and taste soon following. The temperature and pulse records are irregular. From \}!\^ first day to \.h.Q fifth an eruption of petechias or purpura occurs in the majority of cases. The disease reaches its height in from three to eight days, and passes into stupor d^nd co)na, or ameliorates imd passes into a protracted convalescence. The Fulminant Form. Severe chill, depression, and in a few hours collapse. The patient is overcome by the poison and never reacts. The Abortive Form'zox\.svsXs of one or more pronounced character- istic symptoms during the course of an epidemic. Sequelae. Result from thickening of either the cerebral or spinal membranes; persistent headache, blindness or deafiess, partial or complete; epilepsy, or different forms of sfinalpalsies. Complications. Pneumonia; typhoid fever; pleuritis; intesti- nal catarrh, in infants.