A letter to the Right Hon. Sir G.C. Lewis, Bart., M.P. ... / from three of the medical witnesses for the defence, in the case of Thomas Smethurst.

  • Richardson, Sir Benjamin Ward, (1828-1897)
Date:
1859
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A letter to the Right Hon. Sir G.C. Lewis, Bart., M.P. ... / from three of the medical witnesses for the defence, in the case of Thomas Smethurst. 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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    The more acute form of the ordinary dysentery of this country is thus described by the same Author:— “ The dysentery of this country is, in many cases, a mild disease, attended with little danger; and the affection seems to be seated, in a large proportion of cases, in the rectum or the lower part of the colon. It is accompanied by tenesmus, with scanty discharges of bloody mucus, and but little appearance of healthy fgeces; there is generally some degree of fever, with more or less of constitutional disturbance, and fre- quently vomiting. Whenever such symptoms, however, occur, a disease is present which requires to be watched with much attention. While it is limited to a defined portion of the lower part of the intes- tine, it may be a disease of little danger; but it is to be kept in mind, that its danger is generally in proportion to its extent. If it be attended with pain and tenderness extending above the pubis, and along the course of the ascending colon, the case is becom- ing more precarious. If there be tenderness and tension extending along the epigastric region, so as to give reason to apprehend that the arch of the colon is involved in the disease, the case is more and more alarming; when there is reason to fear that it affects the whole course of the great intestine, the danger is extreme. There is generally, in this case, much constitutional disturbance, with quick pulse, thirst, anxiety, vomiting, hiccup, and rapid failing of the vital powers; the evacuations from the bowels vary in the manner which has been already referred to; being either mucous, watery, or feculent, or con- sisting of various combinations of these matters with each other. “ In all affections of the mucous membrane, the appearance of the tongue is deserving of particular attention. In many cases it shows no peculiar character, or only the usual appearances of febrile diseases; but