On hydatids of the lung : their diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment, and observations on their relations to pulmonary consumption, and other diseases of the chest / by S. Dougan Bird.

Date:
1877
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On hydatids of the lung : their diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment, and observations on their relations to pulmonary consumption, and other diseases of the chest / by S. Dougan Bird. 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.

    11/68 (page 7)
    upper lobes, these last symptoms are usually very prominent. The presence or absence of pain and its character, acute or otherwise, are determined by the same conditions. A more or less phthisical-looking cachexia, even when the case is not complicated with tubercle, is often noticed, with progressive loss of flesh ; and in several instances I have seen well-developed clubbi7tg of the finger-ends and incttrvation of the nails' which gradually disappeared with the other symptoms after the hydatid had been tapped or expectorated, and the cure was complete. Cough nearly always occurs, and varies in character in the early stages, but when the cyst is large is usually of a violent and paroxysmal character, especially when the disease is situated near the base of the lung. The expectoration at first is simple mucus, which may or may not be stained with blood ; as the case progresses it becomes more or less purulent. Profuse haemoptysis is seldom or never noticed, but I have seen several ounces at a time in an aggravated case when tapping had been long delayed; it sometimes ceases altogether after operation or spontaneous rupture, being the result of pressure on the pulmonary veins, though in the latter case a good deal of blood may be spit at the time of rupture, and the subsequent purulent sputa and portions of cyst are mixed with or stained with * These symptoms were very well marked in the case of a lady whom I attended eight years ago with the late Dr. Tracy, and who eventually spat up the whole cyst and is now in perfect health. The physical signs of cavity, gurgling, cavernous breathing, and pectoriloquy were also very prominent.