One patient's experience with two general physicians, one neurologist, one leading physician, one gastrologist, two ophthalmic surgeons, one diagnostician, and one refractionist / by George M. Gould.

  • Gould, George Milbrey, 1848-1922.
Date:
1905
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: One patient's experience with two general physicians, one neurologist, one leading physician, one gastrologist, two ophthalmic surgeons, one diagnostician, and one refractionist / by George M. Gould. 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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    once a day. After the second or third attack, I carried a card in my pocket: If Found Unconscious, to be Sent to {Home address.'] From a severe attack I recovered slowly, even with the aid of such stimulants as aromatic spirits of am- monia and brandy. During the remainder of the day a feeling of weakness would always be present. Soon other symptoms began to manifest themselves —a deeply furred tongue, bad breath, presence of a great amount of gas, acid and burning eructations, discharge of bitter saliva in the morning on rising, occasional and severe attacks of diarrhea, a general feeling of depres- sion and apprehension, the latter almost amounting to terror. I had spells of acute hearing when certain sounds seemed to penetrate and cut through the brain. I also became extremely irritable, impatient, and un- reasonable. I seemingly could not bear up under a long interview, and I suffered from strange impressions. I was possessed of a continual desire to get away from whatever I was doing. I had to hold myself in restraint all the time. I continued at my business, however, but for some six months I had to take some one with me on my trips to different American cities, because of my great fear of these attacks. At length I became very accurate and methodical in my habits, pursuing nar- rowly a prescribed course of action, and when com- pelled to change these confined ways, 1 became excited and worried. I had the most vivid feeling of impend- ing danger, and almost a terror of coming things. When I felt at my best the numbness in the abdomen was often accompanied by a feeling as if a hard lump existed there. For the past year I have endured this trouble almost daily. No medicine gave permanent relief; no treat- ment seemed to avail. Vacations and a sea voyage served to brace me up a little, but the trouble in no sense diminished. Physicians consulted were of different opinions as to the cause of the trouble, but all agreed that I was suffer- ing from no organic difficulty. Most of them thought it a nervous affection that should be treated by pro- longed rest, and powerful tonics. In the meantime one phase of the trouble increased—that of terror or fear of impending trouble. I was ever expecting a “spell.”