Selections in pathology and surgery, or, An exposition of the nature and treatment of local disease : exhibiting new pathological views, and pointing out an important practical improvement, illustrated by cases / by John Davies.

  • John Davies
Date:
1839
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Selections in pathology and surgery, or, An exposition of the nature and treatment of local disease : exhibiting new pathological views, and pointing out an important practical improvement, illustrated by cases / by John Davies. 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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    of diseases, it is apt to be looked upon witli great distrust by the profession, and that those who happen to recommend it are liable to be charged with something like empiricism. As well might those who prescribed mercury in a variety of diseases, or those who prescribe sulphate of magnesia, or carbonate of soda, or opium, in a variety of affections, be charged with empiricism. In truth, what do our common external applications amount to ? Chiefly to lotions and poultices ; and practitioners generally do not much vary the characters of their lotions and poultices in different local affections. Tliere are few external diseases, or local injuries, for which both of these are not employed in their turn. If a simple evaporating lotion be applicable to cases of phlegmon, of erysipelas, enlargement of the joints, scrofulous swellings of the glands, lacerated, contused, and punctured wounds, and a variety of other inflammatory affections, both of the skin itself and of the internal parts situated near it, why should not another remedy apply equally to a number of similar maladies ? Tire properties of remedial agents can only be judged of from the effects they produce. No one could tell a priori that sulphate of magnesia would purge, and that carbonate of lime would constipate the bowels. In like manner, the medicinal virtues of opium, hyoscyamus, prussic acid, mercury, and all other remedies, have been discovered by observation of their effects respectively on the animal system, for they exhibit no external quahties which could lead to a fore-knowledge of their relations with the hving body. Now, extensive observation, and the experience of several years, have proved Iodine to be a most eflicacious remedy in a great variety of local affections—mwc/i more efficacious than any of the remedies noticed in the last Section. It is very easy of application, mild in its effects on the nerves of the part with which it comes in contact, and capable of being modified in the degree of its strength, so as to suit it to the intensity of the disease and the natural quahty of the skin of the patient. Both at the infirmary and in private practice we are in the habit of using the Iodine in two forms, but ^ far more fre- quently in that of Tincture in Alcohol. The^ncfare is made _ by dissolving forty grains of Iodine in ah ounce^fjrectiflfifl.-- ■3]^it L^iid its^strengtlii^afterwards reduced, when necessary, ffiy^^Ke addition of more spirit. The other form is an ioduret- ted solution, which is made by dissolving thirty-two grains of Iodide of Potassium (Hydriodate of Potass) in an ounce of dis- tilled water, and by adding to the solution eiglit grains of Iodine. With this ioduretted solution a lotion is made by the