The successful treatment of internal aneurism by consolidation of the contents of the sac : illustrated by cases in hospital and private practice / by Jolliffe Tufnell.

Date:
1875
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The successful treatment of internal aneurism by consolidation of the contents of the sac : illustrated by cases in hospital and private practice / by Jolliffe Tufnell. 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.

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    three, that which is to be preferred in these cases is the compound powder of jalap, its action being peculiarly adapted to reducing the quantity of the circulating fluid, by withdrawing serum from the blood; at the same time that, by its direct influence, it removes fseculent accu- mulation from every portion of the intestinal tract. Aperients, however, and more especially purgatives, are not to be resorted to without sufficient reason, or to be employed merely because the habits of the individual as to regularity and frequency in action of the bowels have become altered by the change and reduction in food, and by the quietude of position; for the usual excitants to peristaltic action, viz., the undigested particles of food, together with that which arises from the motion of the body, both, it must be recollected, have been suddenly removed. The irritating of the intestinal canal by medi- cine, and stimulating it to expel what is not in it, is most objectionable, and whilst distressing to the patient, hastens the circulation, and interrupts the repose so essential to cure. Obstinate constipation, on the other hand, is not to be permitted, or anything that can produce straining, and the instant that such manifests itself, enemata of tepid water should be resorted to, to clear away all hardened lumps that may occupy the rectum; whilst gentle hand-rubbing should also be employed to promote the action of the large intestine. In cases where the colon is pressed upon by the aneurismal sac, and constipation mechanically produced, as a slight accelerator of the intestinal canal, about two grains of the compound rhubarb pill taken just before the dinner meal will be found useful, and act well. Occasionally the secretion of urine, in consequence of the reduction in the quantity of fluid, will be very limited in quantity, so much so,