Observations on the remarkable effects of iodine in bronchocele and schrophula : being a translation of three memoirs published by J.R. Coindet, M.D. of Geneva.

  • Coindet, Jean François, 1774-1834.
Date:
1821
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations on the remarkable effects of iodine in bronchocele and schrophula : being a translation of three memoirs published by J.R. Coindet, M.D. of Geneva. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    iodine, I have observed the following symptoms : great acceleration of pulse, palpitation, frequent dry cough, insomnia, great loss of strength, and wasting away, swelling or tremours of the lower extremities, painful hardness in the goitre, diminution of the breasts, remarkable and sustained augmentation of appetite, and in almost all those I have seen, to the number of five or six, a very rapid diminution or disappearance, more or less complete, of a hard, bulky and ancient goitre, during the continuance of those symptoms. In these cases I suspended the iodine, and pre¬ scribed milk, especially ass’s milk, warm bathing, valerian, kino, carbonate of ammonia, preparations of opium, and other antispasmodics. To remove the painful indurescence of the goitre, I ordered leeches and emollient fomentations. In a woman of advanced age, who laboured under tremours and palpitations, the prussic acid produced a remarkable relief, sudden but transient. The above treatment allays these symptoms more readily than I could have imagined, but some indi¬ viduals have been affected for a very considerable period with marasmus, muscular debility and pale¬ ness. The rapid disappearance of a goitre, either from the treatment being carried too far, or the patient being too susceptible of the action of iodine, de¬ mands all the attention of medical practitioners, since it proves that these severe symptoms are oidy the effect of too great a saturation, and points out the necessity of keeping up an action, more slow it is true, but exempt from danger. The general duration of the treatment has ap¬ peared to me to be from eight to ten weeks. 1 once witnessed a very violent action from iodine; it is remarkable from the light it throws upon the manner in which this remedy acts. I observed it in the following case: — A man, fifty years of' age, had been affected for i