Clinical lectures on typhus and continued fever / by Charles Ritchie.

  • Ritchie, Charles.
Date:
[1854-1855]
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Clinical lectures on typhus and continued fever / by Charles Ritchie. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    THE GLASGOW MEDICAL JOURNAL Vol. II.] JULY, 1854. [No. 6. ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. I. Clinical Lectures on Typhus and Continued Fever. By Charles Ritchie, M.D., one of the Physicians of the Royal Infirmary, Glasgow. Gentlemen,—In my lectures on Clinical Medicine in the present session, I propose to devote my efforts more extendedly than usual to the exposition of Typhus and of Continued Fever. An inquiry into the nature of these affections, pervading, as they do, the whole animal frame, and having their general and essential seat, even when they are specially localized, in the primary or elementary systems of the body, is possessed of much intrinsic importance. An acceptable theory of fever must repre¬ sent much of the general medical science of the day, and its rational treatment ought ever to be directed with an enlightened reference to the known constitution and functions of the different elements of our physical nature. These are considerations which, while they oppose serious difficulties to the investigation, form also so many weighty inducements to engage in it. But it has been on other grounds that I have adopted the purpose of lectur¬ ing on Typhus and Simple Continued Fever. The permanent presence and frequent extended ravages of these diseases in the community; the discordant and vague notions held of their nature; the existence, in particular, of a much-vexed question on the identity or otherwise of typhus with one of the forms of continued fever; and lastly, the nearly absolute unac¬ quaintance of students with the practical peculiarities of these diseases, have appeared to me so many good reasons for occupying our time with this investigation. I. And, first, I would speak of the wide-spread and nearly constant prevalence of typhus and of continued fever as diseases. It has been said by an eminent practical observer, the late Dr. Baillie, that typhus fever is a rare disease. This statement, proceeding from the principal medical officer of a great London hospital, is remarkable. I have somewhere seen it stated, that