A case of typhus or ship fever, with remarks / by Wm. Ingalls.

  • Ingalls, William, 1769-1851.
Date:
1848
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A case of typhus or ship fever, with remarks / by Wm. Ingalls. 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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    system, is always present in all the changes that take place in de- viations from health, remains after dissolution, and does not disap- pear unlil decomposition commences. On the other hand, sensi- bility is often suspended during life, is extinguished at death, and as many of the actions of the body are performed independently of this attribute of the nervous system, it can by no means be the sole agent which directs and controls the functions in health and disease. Hence it appears the habit of ascribing to any of the constituent parts of the body powers they do not possess, tends to retard the progress of medical science and the attainment of a rational and judicious practice. There is a very interesting illustration of the suspension of sensibility during life, while contractility remains in full force, in the employment of ansesthesian preparations in surgical operations. .In amputation of a limb, the muscles, as soon as divided, contract as vigorously as when the subject is in full possession of his senses. The miasm of typhus acts with peculiar energy on the muscular system ; although in continued fever, from its commencement, and during its whole course, there is no feature more prominent than prostration of strength ; even in its mildest form, diminution of muscular power is its distinguishing characteristic; yet it is diffi- cult to reconcile this condition of the body with the prodigious efforts the patient is capable of making when in a state of deli- rium. In addition to these affections, there is a contrariety in the symptoms ; tonic and clonic spasms may exist at the same time ; the superior extremities may be agitated by subsultus tendinum and tremors, while the extensors of the toes are in a state of permanent contraction ; and by the successive contraction of the muscles the eyeballs are thrown into irregular and frightful movements, while the tongue is paralyzed, or immovable, from tonic spasm. From this diversity in the actions of the muscular system, I have, in accordance with the definition of fever by Sagar, added to diminished, depraved strength, Frigus, calor, pulsus frequens, respiratio aucta, viribus artuum imminutis, depravatis, vel viribus vitalibus pulsu et respiratione vix mutatis, virium artuum summa prostratio. The extensive communication between the organs of circulation and the muscular fibre is remarkable. The heart, the central organ of circulation, stands at the head of the muscular or irritative sys- 2*