Notes of lectures on the theory and practice of medicine : delivered in the Jefferson Medical College at Philadelphia / by John Eberle.

  • Eberle, John, 1787-1838.
Date:
1840
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Notes of lectures on the theory and practice of medicine : delivered in the Jefferson Medical College at Philadelphia / by John Eberle. 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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    every hour or two. When the bowels are tor- pid, a grain or two of calomel may be added. Care must however be taken, not to continue the calomel so as to produce ptyalism—this effect could not fail to do harm. When the nitre excites gastric pain and watery purging, a few grains of pulv. ipecac, compos, may be advantageously combined with it. These effects are also lessened by giving the nitre in some mucilage. Antimony, peculiarly beneficial in febrile diseases; independent of its diaphoretic effects, it has a di- rect sedative operation; it appears, also, to act as an alterative, that is, to change the action of the capillary system generally. Its good effects in fe- vers are independent of the nausea which it is apt to create. Cullen, however, was of a different opinion. The Italians employ it in large doses, as a contra stimulant; in other words as a se- dative. Other diaphoretics employed in sthenic fever, viz. the saline effervescing draught; spiritusmindereri; muriate of ammonia; sweet spirits of nitre. These are useful, after the febrile excitement has been somewhat subdued. During the whole course, an antiphlogistic regimen must be rigidly observed. The antiphlogistic plan of treatment consists not only in the application of such remedies as are calculated to reduce the actions of the system, but also in the careful removal of every thing which has a tendency to irritate or excite in an inordinate de- gree. In inflammatory fevers, the irritability of the nervous and sanguiferous systems is morbidly in- creased; and hence, even the ordinary stimulants of light, sound food, &c, become a source of increased irritated action. The influence of these may there- fore be avoided, as much as circumstances will sllpw.