On neuralgic, rheumatic, and other painful affections : with notices of improved modes of treatment / by James Arnott.

  • Arnott, James Moncrieff, 1794-1885.
Date:
1851
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On neuralgic, rheumatic, and other painful affections : with notices of improved modes of treatment / by James Arnott. 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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    almost superseded by the more rational belief that the disease merely extends or migrates (to use the words of the late Dr. Hope) to the internal fibrous tissue, just as it does from joint to joint, by what Bichat calls the affinity of tissue.”* As it has been observed that the risk of the heart being attacked is in proportion to the acuteness of the affection of the joints, and of the fever, it might have been supposed that the reduction of the articular inflammation, and so much of the febrile disturbance as may be supposed to be sympathetic with the local affection, would have engaged the attention of practitioners. In proportion to the violence of other fevers, as well as the rheumatic, (according to the accurate observations of M. Louis) is the risk of dangerous internal inflammation or secondary lesion; and it is probably because the sympathetic fevers of children are, as a rule, more violent than those occurring in mature age, that rheumatism is then generally accompanied with endo or peri- carditis. The unremitting pain, and the fear of the lameness that so often follows long continued inflammation of the joints, * See an Essay, by Dr. Hope, on the treatment of Bheumatic Eever by Calomel and Opium, in the Medical Gazette for 1837. It may be remarked with respect to this remedy, which is now very general, that its efficacy must depend opon its antiphlogistic power, first clearly pointed out by Dr. Hamilton of Lynn Regis ; and that it must directly reduce the articular inflammation. This practice, I believe, was introduced by Dr. Chambers ; and it can hardly be doubted that his long connection with the medical department of the East India Company’s sendee, must, at an early period,have impressedhim with the value of mercury as a general remedy in inflammatory disease. It is a singular fact (assuming the correct- ness of this supposition) that Dr. Hamilton should have acknowledged that his use of mercury as an antiphlogistic, originated from a com- munication with an Indian practitioner who had used it extensively in hepatitis. The bark winch we owe to the West, is not a more valuable acquisition to medicine, than this employment of mercury which is due to the East. A great objection to the use of mercury with these views, has hitherto been, the severe inflammation and pain of the mouth which it often causes; but for this we have now an unfailing remedy in the direct application of a frigorific mixture. D