Statistical analysis of cases of acute and subacute rheumatism, chiefly in reference to the proportion of cardiac complications / by Thomas Bevill Peacock, M.D.

  • Peacock, Thomas B. (Thomas Bevill), 1812-1882.
Date:
1869
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Statistical analysis of cases of acute and subacute rheumatism, chiefly in reference to the proportion of cardiac complications / by Thomas Bevill Peacock, M.D. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    The mean age of tlie males was 24*5—the extreme ages being 4 and 14 and 31 and 47. The mean age of the fe- males was 26*8—the extreme ages 16 and 17 and 39 and 48. Of the whole of the cases 6 are stated never to have had any previous attack of rheumatism; in 5 there had been one or more previous attacks; and in 10 the reports are defective on this point, but in by far the majority it may safely be concluded that enquiry was specially made and answered in the negative. The date of the previous attacks was from a few months to 14 or 15 years before that for which the patient came under treatment; and in some cases there had been only one previous attack, in others several. In 12 cases the patients had been suffering from the rheumatic symptoms more or less severely for periods vaiying from 2 days to a week. „ 1 case the patient had been ill 2 weeks ; jy 1 „ ,f ,j 2 or 3 weeks; „ 3 cases „ „ 3 weeks; and „ 1 case the patient had been ailing 2 months; ;) 1 „ jf jf 4 months; 1 „ „ for a considerable time, but worse 6 days; and „ 1 the patient had old disease, with recent rheumatic symptoms of which the duration was not ascertained. The treatment to which the patients were subjected varied in different cases : that most commonly adopted was the em- ployment of colchicum in small doses, with aperients, alkalies, or iodide of potassium. In some cases the tincture of aconite was used; and, when there were cardiac symptoms, mer- curials with opium, generally in the form of Dover's powder, and cupping and counter-irritation, wore had recom-se to. In two cases the patients were under the influence of mer- cury when admitted, and cardiac symptoms were then beginning to develop themselves. The external remedies consisted of baths, packing, and local applications. After the urgent symptoms were subdued, quinine and iron were very generally given. The results were as follows :— The acute cases were 11 in number, or 52-3 per cent. The subacute „ 10 „ 47*6 „ Of the 11 acute cases, 5 were males and 6 females. Of the males one, and of the females two presented no signs or symptoms of cardiac affection, and one male displayed slight signs only. Eegarding the latter as healthy, the heart was unaffected in 4 cases, or in 1 case in 2*7, or 36*3 per cent.