Observations on a stridulous affection of the bowels : and on some varieties of spinal disease : with an appendix of cases / by J. Bradley.

Date:
1818
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations on a stridulous affection of the bowels : and on some varieties of spinal disease : with an appendix of cases / by J. Bradley. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

    11/292 (page 5)
    short duration. The urine, at this stage of the complaint, is sometimes rather high-coloured, but at other times little different from a state of health, and seldom lets fall any sediment. The bowels are usually constipated, but the faeces in general exhibit no unnatural appearance. The noise within the abdomen returns at un- certain inters als in the course of the day, and is of no limited duration. The period of its continuance, however, seldom exceeds twenty minutes, or half an hour ; and always, in this stage, whilst the pa- tient is in an erect posture ; for, on lying down, it will almost instantly cease, and be no more heard, as long as the body continues in an horizontal po- sition during the usual time for rest. Whatever is taken into the stomach, whilst the body is erect, has no inconsiderable influence in exciting or abating this stridulous sound. For in- stance,—after the patient has sat down to a meal, and taken a few mouthfuls, it will in some cases invariably ensue, and continue for some time; af- ter which it becomes weaker, and more and more intermits, till it ceases. On the contrary, how- ever, instead of food producing this effect, it of- tener abates this noise; especially when the sto- mach is empty, and there is faintness, with a sense of craving for food; which is sometimes most prevalent on rising from bed in the morning, about eleven o'clock in the forenoon, and at five or six in the evening.