Cases of intermittent fever, in which bleeding was employed in the cold stage / [John Mackintosh].

  • Mackintosh, John, -1837
Date:
[1828]
Catalogue details

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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    hot applications had been employed without benefit. The agitation of his body was so greats that it shook the very bedstead on which he lay, and threatened to terminate in convulsions. Tongue loaded, but moist ; breath¬ ing hurried and laborious; pulse 65, oppressed; skin not below the natu¬ ral standard over the trunk, but all his extremities were cold, and he com¬ plained of a sensation of extreme coldness. Fortunately, I made a good ori¬ fice, which is not always easily done from the tremors, and the blood flow¬ ed in a good stream ; 12 ounces were abstracted in three minutes, with very trifling relief, except to his breathing; but during the flow of the se¬ cond pound, he became more and more easy, and the rigor ceased com¬ pletely., This pound was abstracted in two minutes; the arm was tied up on the approach of syncope, from which, however, he soon recover¬ ed. He lay quite easy; his body, and' even the extremities, became of a proper temperature; and his skin felt moist; the pulse rose from 65 to 106; he passed a good night; had several stools during the next twenty- four hours; was found perfectly easy next day. On the following day he was convalescent, looked well, and asked for more food, and had no return of the disease. Case III.—Thomas Bullock, a strong healthy young man, reports that he had had the disease in the tertian form for twelve days. Attributes it to exposure to cold when on sentry in the arsenal at Woolwich. He was in the sweating stage when brought into the hospital on the 4th March 1826. 6th. — Had a severe, rigor, followed by intense reaction; was found sweating at the hour of visit; no stooh 8th.—Cold fit came on at three a. m. After it had continued half an hour and was well formed, his pulse beating 84 and oppressed, a vein was opened in the arm by Mr Marshall, (one of mv most zealous pupils, now assistant-surgeon of the 87th Regiment,) in the presence of several other gentlemen. When 15 ounces of blood were abstracted the rigor ceased; the pain of head and loins, and the oppression at prcecordia vanished; the breathing became natural; the pulse rose to 95; in half an hour after the operation, said he felt quite well; no hot. fit followed; a very gentle mois¬ ture appeared on the surface, but there was no sweating stage; pulse 95. 10th.—Says he feels quite well, and free from that anxiety and oppres¬ sion which has affected him from the time he caught cold at Woolwich; is able to be out of bed and dressed ; appetite improved. He escaped for eight days. 18th.—Was again attacked with rigors a quarter of an hour before the visit. He is now in a severe well-formed cold fit; breathing hurried and laborious; the whole body is in a tremor; tongue rather loaded; passed a bad night; pulse 120, oppressed. Attributes this paroxysm to cold when in the privy. A vein was opened in the arm, and 14 ounces of blood were abstracted before the fit was subdued; there was no tendency to syncope; pulse 110, full, and of good strength. No hot stage; no sweating stage followed. 19th.—Yesterday, for some time after the bleeding, he appeared free from all complaint; but towards evening was attacked with violent head¬ ache and pain in the belly. Blood was again taken from the same ori¬ fice, to the amount of 12 ounces, with complete relief, since which he has been easy and slept well; bowels slow. 2oth.—Slight chill this morning, which appeared to be cut short by a warm drink ; no fever followed; passed a good night; bowels not moved. 22d.—Had a slight sensation of cold this morning, but there was no hot stage; says he feels quite well; bowels slow. 23d, 24th and 25th.—Reports state that he went on improving.