Irritation of the prostate / by R. Harvey Reed.

  • Reed, R. Harvey.
Date:
1884
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Irritation of the prostate / by R. Harvey Reed. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    Reprinted from 'Columbus Medical Journal for Sept., 1884. Definition.—Irritaiion of ihe pivstate may consist of a true or sympa- thetic congestion of all or a part of the prostate gland; or a catarrahal condition of all or a part of the follicles and ducts of the racemose glands, or even involve the ejaculatory ducts; or it may consist of a hyperes- thesia of the nerve filaments supplying the gland, anyone, or all of which, will keep up an irritated condition of the gland, unattended with a chill, or acute inflammation, and the graver symptoms of the more serious and destructive diseases of the gland. Causes.—The causes which lead to an irritation of the prostate are masturbation, inordinate sexual excitement of any kind, cold and expos- ure, traumatic causes, gonorrhea, sympathetic irritation from surrounding structures, such as constipation, diarrhea, and hemorrhoids ; or cystitis, acute or chronic, morbid change in the urine, vesical calculus, etc. Symptoms.—In the milder forms of congestion the symptoms will not be more than a slight weight or fulness in the perineum, with, perhaps, a slightly increased desire to micturate, which is generally followed with an uneasy feeling in the region of the prostate, and in the glans penis. This morbid desire to void the urine is seldom observed in the early part of the day, but gradually increases toward the close of the day, and, unless rest is sought, will be the worst just before retiring. When the recumbent position, with quiet, is resorted to, relief is gen- erally obtained; hence we find this class of patients troubled but little at night, and nearly always feeling the best in the morning. They seldom complain of having had a chill, or being troubled with febrile disturbance, loss of appetite, or of marked constitutional disturb- ance, other than that of having taken a slight cold, from which they can probably date their trouble. A full-sized sound can be passed with little or no difficulty, other than tenderness along the prostatic urethra.