Remarks on the treatment of some varieties of inflammation / by William Whitelaw, M.D.

  • Whitelaw, William, M.D.
Date:
[1871]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Remarks on the treatment of some varieties of inflammation / by William Whitelaw, M.D. 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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    REMARKS ON THE TREATMENT OF SOME VARIETIES OF INFLAMMATM. By WILLIAM WHITELAW, M.D., L.F.P. & S.G., KIRKINTILLOCH. REPRINTED FROM THE GLASGOW MEDICAL JOURNAL, MAY, 1871. ** In medicine, as in ordinary life, it is the great test of common sense that a man seeks : and it is the great reward of observant experience that be learns, to make his means proportionate to his ends.—John Simon, F.KS. The important differences of opinion among authors of reputation regarding the therapeutics of some easily diagnosed diseases are perplexing. Surely, it has been remarked by Mr Erichsen, the scoffers at medical science have some ground for doubting at least the wisdom of its professors, when they see one set of practitioners treating every inflammatory disease with depletion, antimony, and calomel, whilst others teach that the panacea for all inflam- mation consists in brandy, ammonia, and bark. * Apart from the main consideration, the welfare of the patient, these important differences of opinion regarding treatment are, for other obvious reasons, to be regretted. To illustrate what is meant, let any one read Dr Aitkeri's account of the treatment of peritonitis, and then Dr Tanner's therapeutic view of the same disease, in the well-known voliunes of each author on the Practice of Medicine, and he will find an example of the essential differences referred to. Dr Aitken (3rd Edition, 1864) advises opium internally, and local blood-letting by means of leeches. On the other hand, * Science and Art of Surgery. 1869. Chap. IV. Local Hypersemia.