Reply of William A. M'Dowell to Dr. Yandell's rejoinder, in a controversy relative to cure of consumption.

  • M'Dowell, William A. (William Adair), 1795-1853.
Date:
1844
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Reply of William A. M'Dowell to Dr. Yandell's rejoinder, in a controversy relative to cure of consumption. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    diarrhoea; she had not menstruated for four months. Physi- cal signs presented dull resonance on percussion from the re- gion of the upper left lobe. Imperfect pectoriloquy, and rough and cavernous respiration from the same part, natural elsewhere over the chest. There existed manifest depression of the ribs over the diseased part. She was brought to bear tonic treatment in the course of the first week of my attend- ance, which she continued to bear with slight interruptions, together with increased nutritive character of diet, until per- fectly restored. .Menstruation recurred in January 1840. Before the end of February, every symptom and sign of con- sumption had disappeared, except exceedingly feeble respira- tion in the portion of lung which had been the seat of the dis- ease. In June she had become as fleshy as at any preceed- ing period of her life, and presented the appearance and the indications ©1 health, which continued without any notable in- terruption—the feeble respiration above referred to and short- ness <>f breath on taking exercise which was ascribed to the deficiency or crippled condition of this part of the luii'_rs ex- cepted—until autumn of 1842; when she was at1 eked with bilious remittent fever, This yielded to ordinary treatment, hut was succeeded by two relapses, and those b\ painful en- largement of the liver, attended with irregular biliary se lion. Attacks iA' this kind, with short intervals of relief, re- curred until the 20th of December, when they terminated in her death. Examination after death was made with the assistance of Dr. Powell and Professor Willard. The only notable exter- nal observation, was the extreme emaciation, and the even fullness of the upper left breast, which had been remarked to he decidedly sunk whilst she was consumptive. On exami- nation of the lun s, we (ovm\ the upper left lobe adhering by slight membraneous bands to the costal pleura, the rest tree, and of natural appearance. No tuberculous matter was detected in any part of their structure, nor any other part oi the body. The only deviation observed in the lungs from the natural