An inquiry into the curability of consumption, the prevention and the progress of improvement in the treatment / by James Turnbull.

  • Turnbull, James, 1818-1897.
Date:
1859
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An inquiry into the curability of consumption, the prevention and the progress of improvement in the treatment / by James Turnbull. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    symptoms, the temporary benefit thus gained may be acquired at the expense of more permanent constitutional injury, and should therefore be resorted to most reluc- tantly as long as there is any prospect of arresting the progress of the disease. I have so often seen permanent injury done by the confinement treatment, that I would rather run the risk of inducing some local irritation, than of augmenting the constitutional disease; but we are often placed in a strait, and of two evils must choose the least, seeing that local irritation and congestion tend, as well as the constitutional affection, to increase tubercular deposition; and therefore much judgment and practical experience are necessary, in order to discern how far the treatment should be directed, with the view of carrying out either of these two indications. The selection of a suitable chmate for those affected with more or less tubercular disease, is so extensive a subject, that it could scarcely be briefly touched upon with advantage. I shall only, therefore, observe that the change to more distant places is adapted chiefly to those in whom tubercular disease is in an early stage, or very perfectly arrested, and that most of the advantages of change may be more safely attained by more delicate invahds, in removing from one part of this country to another. There is scarcely any point, in reference to the treatment of this disease, on which the medical man is called to give an opinion, of greater importance to the comfort of the patient, than that of change of chmate; and I believe, that much injury is often done by the re- moval of patients, wlio would have been better at home. In deciding, whether a change should be made, and what change would be advisable, there are many points whicli sliould be carefully considered: the condition of the patient; the stage and extent of the local disease ; the period of the year; and the effects of previous treatment. When the disease lias been arrested, a change of au* and