A dictionary of practical medicine: comprising general pathology, the nature and treatment of diseases, morbid structures, and the disorders especially incidental to climates, to the sex, and to the different forms of life : with numerous prescriptions for the medicines recommended, a classification of diseases according to pathological principles, a copious bibliography, with references, and an appendix of approved formulae : the whole forming a library of pathology and practical medicine and a digest of medical literature (Volume 4).

  • Copland, James, 1791-1870.
Date:
1834-59
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A dictionary of practical medicine: comprising general pathology, the nature and treatment of diseases, morbid structures, and the disorders especially incidental to climates, to the sex, and to the different forms of life : with numerous prescriptions for the medicines recommended, a classification of diseases according to pathological principles, a copious bibliography, with references, and an appendix of approved formulae : the whole forming a library of pathology and practical medicine and a digest of medical literature (Volume 4). 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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    there by spasm of the canal It also may pro- ceed from mental emotions, or from whatever overloads the cavities of the heart, or inter- rupts the return of blood from the lungs, or causes congestion of the left auricle and pul- monary veins. 42. C. Treatment.—Unless it is attended with a sense of sinking, or oppression, or anx- iety at the praecordia, this affection requires only attention to the digestive, assimilating, and excreting functions, and to diet and regi- men. But if these symptoms are present, re- storatives, especially camphor, the preparations of ammonia, the aethers, carminatives, and ton- ics conjoined with either of these will often be necessary. Much advantage will also result from taking a digestive pill (F. 507, 562) at dinner or bedtime. A small or moderate blood- letting is not infrequently prescribed in cases of this kind with the view of removing con- gestion of the heart or large vessels. When the patient is plethoric, or when the irregular- ity is consequent upon the suppression of an accustomed evacuation, or of congestion of the portal system, this practice is judicious, if cau- tiously resorted to. In the latter circumstan- ces, the application of a few leeches around the anus will often be of service. The bowels ought also to be freely acted upon by deobstru- ent and mild purgatives. In these cases, al- though there may be vascular plethora, or lo- cal congestion, nervous or vital power is, at the same time, more or less impaired, and therefore the means of restoration just mentioned should also be employed. The treatment about to be advised for palpitations (§ 50) is often, also, ap- propriate in this affection. When enfeebled and impaired action of the heart occurs in gouty persons, or appears as misplaced or retrocedcnt Gout, the means advised under such circum- stances in that article ($ 83, 89) should be pre- scribed. ii. Excited Action of the Heart.—Syn. Kap- diuyjioc, Hippocrates, Galen; Cordis Palpi- tatio, seu Pulsatio, Palmus {nakfioc, a beating or palpitation) ; Cardiopalmus, Swediaur ; Tremor Cordis, Palpitatio, Cullen, et Auct. var.; Palmus Cordis, Young ; Clonus Palpi- tatio, M. Good ; Palpitation, Palpitation du Caeur, Fr. ; Das Herzklopfen, Germ. ; Palpi- tazione, Ital. ; Palpitation, Palpitation of the Heart. Classif.—2. Class, 3. Order {Cullen). 4. Class, 3. Order {Good). II. Class, I. Or- der {Author). 43. Defin.— Strong, frequent, or tumultuous action, with an increase of the impulse and natural sounds of the heart, so as to be sensible, and often distressing to the patient, without appreciable le- sion of the structure of the organ. 44. A. Palpitations are either nervous or func- tional, or symptomatic of some one of the more serious diseases of the heart hereafter to be considered. The former only of these fall un- der discussion at this place. Nervous palpita- tions may be either primary, and depending upon excitement of the nerves of the heart, without manifest disorder of other viscera, as in attacks induced by moral emotions, or sym- pathetic of affections of remote or related organs. They are often sudden in their accessions, but more rarely so in their subsidence. The sounds of the organ are generally increased during their continuance; and thefirst soundlis *J* ^ mented by the impulse or shock g ribs occasioning ai dwtinct knocK, £ by a slight -fc-^S^iS^ C Nervou'p'p'Jutrons are often accom- pa^ied withuneasiness and slight anX,et t the prascordia; and sometimes also with a sense of sinking, or faintness, with which they not infrequently alternate. ...... 45 B The Causes differ much in their na- tures, or modes of operation, and modify, ac- cordingly, the characters of this affection. The nervous and irritable temperaments, early age, debility, in whatever way induced, venereal ex- cesses, and mental exertion, remarkably pre- dispose to this disorder. The exciting causes are, 1st. The more active mental emotions, as fright, anger, joy, &c. ; also sadness, anxiety, melancholy, nostalgia, longings after objects of affection, excitements of the imagination, &c.; 2d. The abuse of spirituous liquors and mus- cular exertions, or whatever accelerates the return of blood to the right side of the heart, and over-distends the large veins and auricles; 3d. Excessive or debilitating discharges; the abstraction of a natural or necessary stimulus; sexual excesses, or manustupratio, this last be- ing the most common and influential of the ex- citing causes ; 4th. Inanition from deprivation of the necessary nourishment, or from impair- ed assimilation, or from excessive waste of the secretions, or circulating fluids, as in the palpitations associated with chlorosis and anae- mia, or consequent upon depletions ; 5th. Pres- sure on the large vessels, occasioned by strait lacing, by pregnancy, by abdominal tumours, effusion, &c. ; 6th. Enfeebled action of the di- gestive functions, particularly when attended by flatulency and torpor of the liver, or consti- pation of the bowels ; 7th. The irritation of worms in the intestinal canal, in connexion with debility, &c. ; 8th. Hysteria in several of its Protaean forms, especially when the uterine functions are disordered, and the catamenia ei- ther excessive or obstructed ; 9th. Irritation of the spinal chord, or of its nerves, or excite- ment of the uterus or ovaria acting upon the heart, either directly by the great sympathetic nervous system, or mediately through the spi- nal chord, the irritation propagated to this lat- ter being reflected from it along the branches communicating between it and the cardiac and other sympathetic ganglia. 46. Although these may be considered the principal causes, yet others sometimes produce functional palpitation, especially several antece- dent disorders and organic lesions ; as, a. Ady- namic and nervous fevers ; b. General pletho- ra by overloading the auricles and large ves- sels ; c. Irregular or misplaced gout, occasion- ing irritation of the cardiac nerves, or conges- tion of the large vessels or cavities of the vis- cus''I d- Obesity, particularly in connexion with plethora ; c. Obstructed circulation through the lungs, owing to diseases of their structure, or to effusions of fluid pressing upon them, or oth- er causes preventing their expansion ■ f. En- largements of the abdominal or pelvic viscera or effusions into the peritoneum, preventing the easy descent of the diaphragm, or pressing