Cases of intermittent fever, in which bleeding was employed in the cold stage / [John Mackintosh].
- Mackintosh, John, -1837
- Date:
- [1828]
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Cases of intermittent fever, in which bleeding was employed in the cold stage / [John Mackintosh]. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![fate; fearful of the consequences of the approaching cold stage, which he ex¬ pected in a few hours. Says he sleeps little ; has constant thirst and diarrhoea ; pulse 100 ; tongue white and loaded, but moist; has a bad cough with expec¬ toration; slight difficulty in breathing ; and constant dull pain in the chest and loins : appeared much debilitated ; lies a good deal in bed, and when he sits up complains of swelling of the feet and legs, which are cedematous; stethescope announced bronchitis generally in both sides of the chest. The Captain of the ship gave him something in treacle, which he supposed to be bark. Mr Hen- best and Mr P. Mackintosh, two of my pupils, volunteered to watch the case, ■with a view to bleed in the cold stage. The remainder of the history is taken from their united report. “ June 7th.—Found him very unwell; coughing incessantly and violently; complaining of sense of weight in the chest; pain of head and giddiness; cold extremities; pulse 95, and oppressed.” These gentlemen continued to watch him, and at twenty minutes before 8 P. M. “ he was seized with rigors, which soon became very severe. The breathing was hurried and laborious ; his cough and other symptoms greatly aggravated. The whole body was in violent agita¬ tion, and his teeth chattered. When in this state, a vein was opened in the right arm, and four small tea-cups nearly full of blood abstracted, (about ] 6 ounces.) He was so suddenly and so perfectly relieved, that he declared he felt quite well, his body became warm, and he soon fell into a quiet slumber. Pulse natural. After regulating the quantity of bed clothes, w*e took our leave.” “ 8th.—Found our patient looking much better, having entirely escaped the hot and sweating stages yesterday; and he enjoyed for the first time a night of uninterrupted sleep. The cough and wheezing are diminished. He expecto¬ rates easier.” “ 9th.By account b^d a very slight chilliness last night; the whole paro¬ xysm being of short duration ; there was scarcely any heat, and very little perspi¬ ration. In fact, he said there was none of the bad attendants of the previous at¬ tacks. He was again visited at 9 P. M, and found in the cold stage, which last¬ ed only ten minutes. The shivering was so very slight, .as scarcely to be per¬ ceptible. Passed a good night; wras able to sit up a considerable part of the day ; strength improved to his own feelings. The cough still continues with the ex¬ pectoration. Passes dark and fetid stools. Calomel and rhubarb. A blister to the sternum. Milk and farinaceous diet. Had an attack on the 10th, and another very brief one on the 11th; from which date till the present day, June 29. there has been no return of the dis¬ ease. There is no affection of the chest; his aspect and motion bespeak health, and his strength is perfectly restored, without the use of bark, quina, or arsenic.” My reporters state, that on the 19th, the patient expressed himself in the follow¬ ing terms : “ If any man had told me, twTelve days ago, that I should be so well as I am now in six months, I could not have believed him.” Case XI.—Corporal Ceo. Webster, Royal Artillery, has served thirteen years, three of which were in the West Indies, where he enjoyed excellent health ; but since his return, has shewn a tendency to chest complaints ; has been once in this hospital with a bad catarrh, from which, however, he recovered. He presented himself again at the hospital this day, June 24. 1827, and stated, that he had for some days past suffered from attacks of rigors, alternating with flushes of heat, and attended by pain in the loins and belly, diarrhoea and slight nausea. His pulse was quick, and tongue loaded. He got an emetic, and daily laxatives, and was discharged on the 29th, supposed to be cured. He re-appeared on Thursday, 5th July, and reported, that since his discharge on 29th ultimo, he had experienced three regular paroxysms of intermittent, with a day interve¬ ning ; the last attack was this morning. The cold stage was very severe, and continued for two hours ; it was succeeded by the hot fit, and terminated in sweating. Complained much of general pains, but suffered distressingly from headache during the paroxysm. He got nothing but laxatives; and had attacks on the 7th, 10th, 12th, and 14th. He escaped from the 14th till the 20th, when he had a very violent paroxysm ; and on the 22d, he was](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b30384862_0010.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
