An essay on burns, in two parts : principally on those which happen to workmen in mines, from the explosions of carburetted hydrogen gas: containing also a view of the opinions of ancient, and modern authors upon the treatment of accidents by fire: and including a variety of cases conducted upon different principles ... / by Edward Kentish.

  • Kentish Edward, -1832.
Date:
1817
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An essay on burns, in two parts : principally on those which happen to workmen in mines, from the explosions of carburetted hydrogen gas: containing also a view of the opinions of ancient, and modern authors upon the treatment of accidents by fire: and including a variety of cases conducted upon different principles ... / by Edward Kentish. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    be induced to write a treatise recommending such prac- tice. The more ably his book would be written, the more likely would he be to perpetuate error and to do mischief; yet in slight cases there is no doubt but there would be many escapes, and he might have a variety of partisans to support his opinions and practice. The converse of this has been done by many medical authors, i. e. the application of cold has been recommended, to obviate the ill effects of heat. Sir James Earle’s pam- phlet has been already noticed, in the second part of this Essay. I have just seen an account of another author writing a book expressly for the purpose of recommen- ding the use of cold water as the only safe remedy for the cure of burns and scalds. In the Medical and Phy- sical Journal for September 1816, is the following notice: u On Burns, and the only safe Remedy for curing them speedily, and without pain, in every stage: By C. H. Dzondi, M. D. Prof. Publ. Ord. of Medicine and Sur- gery, Director of the Institute for Surgery and Diseases of the Eyes, Halle. 1816.” The Editors of the Journal say, “ This little work is deserving of the greatest attention. Dr. Dzondi, in this small treatise, proves cold water to be the first, greatest, and most powerful, nay, the only remedy, for preventing the most dreadful consequences in cases of burns, if timely applied and with perseverance. His conviction of its efficacy is partly founded on a multiplicity of experiments made on animals and on himself, and partly results from his most successful treatment of many im- portant cases; he also attempts to prove it a priori.” I shall avoid as much as possible entering into a detail upon this subject, and confine myself purposely to com- bat the principle ; otherwise, the analogy attempted to