Pathological and practical researches on diseases of the brain and the spinal cord / By John Abercrombie.

  • Abercrombie, John, 1780-1844
Date:
1836
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Pathological and practical researches on diseases of the brain and the spinal cord / By John Abercrombie. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    convulsion ; pulse about 80 and soft: he took repeated doses of active purgatives with little effect, and on the morning of the 12th he appeared to be sinking into a state of perfect coma; pulse 50. Croton oil was now given, which operated powerfully seven or eight times. He passed a good night, and on the 13th was free from complaint. ‘This very important case was under the care of Dr. Huie. I saw the patient along with him from mid-day of the 11th. Case LX XII.—A gentleman, aged 21, was first af- fected with confusion of thought and very considerable loss of recollection. He then complained of headach, and after a day or two had double vision, the two ob- jects being placed the one above the other. At this time he was out of bed the greater part of the day, but was restless and confused, and at times incoherent. He was then confined to bed, and had constant headach, much incoherence and oppression, the double vision continuing. The pulse was at first frequent, but fell gradually, and sunk below the natural standard ; and the symptoms went through a course exactly similar to that which has been described in many of the fatal cases. As the pulse fell in frequency, he became more and more oppressed, until he sunk into a state of stu- por, from which he could scarcely be roused so as to answer a question of the most simple kind. The case went on in this manner for eight or ten days, during which time he was treated by repeated general and to- pical bleeding. cold applications, blistering, &c. without the smallest effect in arresting the progress of the symp- toms. The bowels were very obstinate, and large doses of the most active purgatives were given with little effect. He seemed to be on the brink of perfect coma; and the case was considered as desperate, when he began to take the croton oil, in full doses, repeated every two or three hours. In a few hours, he was purged very actively nine or ten times ; the same even- ing he was relieved from every alarming symptom, and in a few days was free from complaint.