Comments on convulsive diseases / by Charles Bland Radcliffe.

  • Radcliffe, Charles Bland, 1822-1889.
Date:
1851
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Comments on convulsive diseases / by Charles Bland Radcliffe. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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

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    coffee, and drunk suddenly before it has had time to touch the edge of the vessel, for in this way the unpleasant taste may be avoided in great measure. 01. tcrebinthinae, Jij.—jiv.; ol. jec. asselli, ^ss.—Sg.; ol. cinnamonii v\ j. Fiat haustus. When turpentine is objected to, which is often the case, I be- lieve nitric ether may be substituted with advantage, either along with the cod-liver oil, or in combination with some bitter infusion. The secret in this case is, not to be afraid of quantity, and to act as you would with an ordinary stimidant. A patient of mine, who was once subject to epilepsy, but who has now been well for some time, assures me, that when he feels any of his former threatenings he finds very speedy relief from a dose of nitric ether, varying in quantity from a dessert to a table-spoon- ful ; and from other cases in which I have been able to test the effects of this remedy, I should say that this quantity is not more than what may be given to an adult in ordinary cases, with the most beneficial results. It is not intended to say that these are the only tonics, or only stimulants, which may be employed with advantage; but until the claims of others are better estabbshed than at present, it is, perhaps, as well that we keep to these. Any way, we are not to forget that the chances of the disease are far too serious to allow any delay from experimental tampering with doubtful remedies, or merely fashionable empiricism. In the prevention of tetanus, all that we can do is to preserve health from failing, and, in order to this, we must have recourse to the ordinary means which experience has pointed out; and in catalepsy, any preliminary treatment will not differ from that necessary in chorea or hysteria. It is unnecessary, also, that we refer specially to the prevention of the initial shudderings or spasms of fever or cholera, for it is now very well known, that all that is necessary is to remove out of the foul atmosphere, and not stint the quantity of food or wine, and so prevent the system from sinking to a certain state of lowness. Just, indeed, as in the prevention of the subsultus of the latter stages of these com- plaints, we must watch carefully, and begin to administer food and wine before the system is left prostrate and exhausted; so in the prevention of the muscular movements which mark the onset, must we endeavour to prevent the glow of health from slipping away, and this by the very same means. It is unnecessary, also, that we refer particularly to the prevention of those vaguer forms E 2