On melanosis of the lungs and other diseases arising from the inhalation of dust / Francis Oppert.

  • Oppert, Francis.
Date:
1866
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On melanosis of the lungs and other diseases arising from the inhalation of dust / Francis Oppert. 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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    noxious occupation at once; by this he will be more bene- fited than by anything else. Although I have not had much occasion to try remedies, I should think that expectorants will do good mostly, and a tonic regimen will certainly do no harm. Complications of the lung diseases, with inflam- mation or congestion in the abdominal organs, have to be treated according to the present state of science. Change of air and habits or other circumstances of his whole life may sometimes save the patient. In order to further our knowledge of the disease and the treatment thereof, it would be desirable to have nu- merous cases and histories from medical men attending coal-miners, needle-pointers, &c. A better light might be shed on much that is doubtful if they put down their observations regularly, following up more important cases from the commencement to the end, not omitting the post- mortem. The physical examination of the lungs, that of the sputa and urine, ought not to be neglected, and all in- tercurrent diseases, especially pneumonia, taken note ot. By this it might, for instance, at the post-mortem be accounted for why parts of the lungs show an abnorma specific gravity, the case-book relating several attacks of inflammftion. It ought to be stated, also, if the liver and spleen have contained black deposit m excess, in acco d- ance with the bypochondric propensities observed during ^'^The tissue of the lungs might be more f^^fyj^- amined by the microscope, in order to find out i the mela- notic matter is more present in the tissue or m the mucou, membrane, and the solubility of this matter might be tested Toroughi; by concentrated solutions of caustic potash. Th examinations for iron by hydrochloric, and sd^a by hydrofluoric acid, &c., in an interestmg specimen, would be gladly undertaken by competent authorities^ AH other particulars, as ventilation, number of holi- days, mode of life, ought to be specified m tbe mes. L conclusion, I once more draw the attenUon of t^^^ reader to the state and condition of the,British mmer,