The causes, nature, and treatment of scurvy : a paper read before the Covington and Newport (Ky.) Medical Society / by Charles S. Tripler.

  • Tripler, Chas. S. (Charles Stuart), 1806-1866.
Date:
[1858?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The causes, nature, and treatment of scurvy : a paper read before the Covington and Newport (Ky.) Medical Society / by Charles S. Tripler. 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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    name of Porphyra Nautica. His nosological definition of land Scurvy is, spots of different sizes ; often in stripes or patches, irregularly scattered over the thighs, arms and trunk ; occasional haemorrhages from the mouth, nostrils or viscera; great debility and depression of spirits. He defines sea Scurvy by spots of different hues intermixed with livid, principally at the roots of the hair; teeth loose, gums spongy and bleeding, breath fetid, debility inveterate and extreme. Dr Foltz says, in the land Scurvy as it prevailed among the marines, who had served in the Florida war, and had afterwards fallen under his observation at the Marine Barracks at Washington, that Nyc- talopia was a common symptom. I think this distinguished surgeon was betrayed into error in this observation through that besetting sin of our profession, hasty generalization. If he had said it was a common complication in that particular instance, it would have been in our opinion nearer the fact. Nyctalopia is of frequent occurrence among troops in the field, particularly in southern climates, and numerous cases were observed among our men in Florida, but totally independent of scurvy. I can- not call to mind a single instance in which the two affections were combined in the same individual, as having occurred under my own observation. Dr. Foltz continues ''Purpura, oedema, the cadaverous and foetid effluvium which follows the extreme emaciation, the fainting upon the slightest exertion, and the extent of disease in the respiratory system, which always occur in the scurvy on board ships, are never met with in the land scurvy. In the latter, we have sponginess of the gums, ulcera- tion which terminates in dysenteries and fevers, the first induced by a cachectic diathesis, but never involving that complete anosmia of the blood, which amounts to a universal septic ten- dency. Without stopping to enquire the grammatical import of Anaemia of the blood, we remark that the differences here enumerated, if conceded to exist, are differences only of degree and not of kind. The phenomena are plainly identical in nature, and as plainly dependent upon an identical pathological condition. But it is not conceded that the aggravated signs always exist in sea scurvy, or that they are never seen in land