Remarks on the history and treatment of delirium tremens / [John Ware].

  • Ware, John, 1795-1864
Date:
1831
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Remarks on the history and treatment of delirium tremens / [John Ware]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    This description lias been taken from cases which were left to take their own course, uninfluenced by medicine. In all essential points it will apply to a majority of cases. Still there are many variations in the time of day at which the paroxysm begins and terminates, in its length, and in other particulars, which cannot be included under any general account. Thus its duration is sometimes less and sometimes greater than that assigned to it. Especially it is apt to be prolonged in those who have had repeated at¬ tacks, and in one such case I have known it to ex¬ tend to nearly six entire days. During the first part of his sleep the patient is generally uneasy and restless, his breathing is irregu¬ lar, and is sometimes almost like that of a person dying. During the first few hours, he often wakes once or twice, perhaps gets up and renews the exer¬ cises of his delirious state, or else takes merely a lit¬ tle drink, but in either case, goes soon to sleep again. Soon after getting into a sound sleep, the breath¬ ing becomes deep, slow, and sonorous ; a profuse sweat breaks out, and for a long time the whole body is bathed with it. After six or eight hours the pa¬ tient awakes tolerably rational, and sensible of what is going on about him, but generally with some im¬ pression left on his mind of the imaginary scenes through which he has passed. He continues, for the next twenty-four or even forty-eight hours, to sleep during the greater part of the time. At the end of that period, his restoration appears complete, so far as