Remarks on gastro-intestinal mycosis, caused by the smaller fungi or moulds / by J. Brendon Curgenven.
- Curgenven, J. Brendon (John Brendon), 1831-1903.
- Date:
- [1884]
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Remarks on gastro-intestinal mycosis, caused by the smaller fungi or moulds / by J. Brendon Curgenven. 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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![sist of pus-cells lu abundance, vibrios, bacteria, and the myculiura and spores of a fungus quite covering the field of the obiect-g]a.ss A 14 per cent, solution of carbolic acid was injected into the bladder daily. On the second day after its use, tlie quantity of fungus diminished ; on the third day there was very little, and after that none. The pus and bacteria continued in diminisliing quantities for three weeks, coming apparently from tlie urethra and the neck of the bladder, as there was smarting pain on passing urine, and at the finish a pain at the neck of the bladder, but there was no urgency or frequency in passing it. There was for a day or two, when tlie fungus was first discovered, a smarting and burning of the genitalia and urethra, especially around its orifice, due probably to the presence of the fungus; this was relieved by a lotion of lead and hydrocvanic acid. If it should be said that the germs of the bacteria and the spores of the fungus were introduced into the bladder by the catheter, they must have existed in great abundance in the air of the room, as neither in my experience nor in that of scarcely anyone else has such an oc- currence been before observed. Bacteria can and do exist in the urine quite independently of catheterism. In a case of renal calculus now under my care, there are abundance of bacteria in the urine. I con- sider that the mucous membrane of the urinary trac t was invaded by th(> fungus in the same manner as the gastro-intestinal, by the spores coming into contact with the orifice of the urethra and parts adjacent, and giving rise to the growth of mycelium, which spread up the urethra to the bladder. This would account for the smailing and burning pain of which the patient coni23lained. There was a great loss of muscular power in the legs. At the end of five weeks, she could not support her weight on the left, and she could not bear any weight on the right, nor advance it in the slightest degree. At the end of another two weeks, she could support her weight on the left, and she could raise the right from the floor. The paralysis gradually passed off under rubbing and massage. The importance of this case was enhanced by the occurrence of others where the symptoms were similar, but not so severe. First, I, who had spent two nights and the greater part of two days in the room with the patient, was, on Wednesday, February 20th, seized with vertigo, faintness, and nausea, followed by one diarrhceal action ; the sym- ptoms i)assing off after a dose of bismuth and opium, a little hot brandy and water, and a few hours' rest. The next morning (February 21st), the sister, who came up from the country on the first day of the patient's illness, and who had spent the gi'eater part of-two nights and two days in the room, was seized with vertigo, faintness, nausea, vo- miting, and diarrhcEa. She was confined to her bed for five days ; the most distressing symptom was that of faintness, or absolute prostra- tion, as if sinking through the bed. She only had about five diarrhceal motions, yet the prosti-ation was so great that it could only be ascribed to the effects of a j)oison acting on the nervous system—such as pro- duced the sudden collapse in the case of her sister. The breath in both cases was heavy and offensive, very like the smell of stagnant water. In this case also, there was some paralysis of the muscles of the legs. On first getting up, she could not stand ; the next day, she could stand with support ; by degrees, she improved—at first, dragging her feet along the floor without the power of raising them ; and, at the end of a fortnight, she had quite recovered. The husband of the first lady, a nurse, and a servant, who were a good deal in the room, also suffered from vertigo, nausea, and diarrhoja, with prostration, passing ofl' in a few days, the other servants in the house remaining perfectly well. On the sister being taken ill, who had not been exposed to any other air in the house but that of the drawing-room and her bedroom, I](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b2229272x_0008.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
