The diseases of the breast, and their treatment / by John Birkett.

  • Birkett, John, 1815-1904.
Date:
1850
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The diseases of the breast, and their treatment / by John Birkett. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.

    77/340 (page 49)
    toms gradually subside in a few clays, leaving, perhaps, only slight induration. But when this desirable result is not obtained, the local inflammation terminates in suppuration, with the common symptoms of abscess. Redness, with more or less oedema of the surrounding skin, desqua- mation of the cuticle over the centre, or towards the most depending part of the swelling, will be observed; or, if the disease has been left to nature, where point- ing has taken place. Even an appearance of slough- ing of the skin may sometimes be noticed in the centre of the swelling. Treatment.—When inflammation of the breast com- mences, its progress may be arrested by antimonials, administered as recommended by Dr. E. Kennedy. With women who can bear the depressing effects of antimony, this drug is, without doubt, a most valuable remedy. It may be administered at first with a saline cathartic, after which its nauseating effects may be continued according to the results. Resolution frequently occurs under the influence of antimony,—indeed, according to the testimony of those who have administered it extensively, in almost all cases. Leeches, and saline purgatives—their action being kept up to procure watery evacuations—are also highly extolled. But if called to a case in which suppuration appears inevitable—or, indeed, when there is every reason to believe that pus has been formed, fomentations must be applied, and as soon as pus is detected by fluctuation E