The practice of medicine, according to the plan most approved by the Reformed or Botanic Colleges of the U. S : embracing a treatise on materia medica and pharmacy ; illustrated with numerous engravings ; designed principally for families / by J. Kost.

Kost, J., 1819-1904.

Date:: 1847

Credit: The practice of medicine, according to the plan most approved by the Reformed or Botanic Colleges of the U. S : embracing a treatise on materia medica and pharmacy ; illustrated with numerous engravings ; designed principally for families / by J. Kost. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

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$1J<» IMHCKSTION. t i on to former difficulties, the ilies in his blister have produced ;i severe strangury, The pulse now, although somewhatinilu- enced by the Hies and mercury, manifestly indicates an ap- proaching typhus. The strong apprehensions, however, that the (lociof lias had with regard to the hcighth and obstinacy of the lever, has made him look with much anxiety for a change, and the pulse now being Lower, and the pain of the stomach, (owing to the sympathy of this organ with that great externa] irritation produced by the blister, and mercurial oint- nient,) seemingly less severe, he hails the present symptoms as being indicative of a better state of things. There is now however but little medicine ordered, but the strictest injunc- tions are given with regard to diet; and the nurse is assured that the slightest deviations from orders, would certainly be attended with fatal consequences. On the next visit, the doc- tor finds his patient sunk into a low typhus. The nurse, the interference of friends, or something else, will bear the blame; or the entire evil may be referred to an ill fate, or over-ruling providence. The doctor now condems the case, and leaves his unfortunate victim alone to sutler and die. The patient being now deserted by his physician, the cause of his misery} begins in a few days to improve. The vital powers now left i'vvc to act, rapidly re-assume their wanted tone, and promise soon, in despite of the physicians predic- tions, to restore comparative health. But the patient no soon- er gives signs of improvement than the friends of the sick, now once more encouraged, quickly send for the doctor, hoping that by taking advantage of this improvement that the pa- tient may possibly get well at last. The doctor comes; re- marks that the medicine has had its desired effect; that the patient is getting better, and that by taking a little more med- icine would soon be well. The patient takes his medicine and gets worse; the doctor once more leaves him to die. The \itnl powers being now so far exhausted make it doubtful whether he will live or die, but if he is now left without any more poisonous drugs he may possibly recover a comparative degree of health, but will ever be troubled more or less with dyspepsia* Now that the above is a true sample of thousands of eases that do occur, who will dare to deny? How sad to tell then, that aside from all the hurtful influences brought upon com- munity by corrupt habits and depraved appetites, medicine, the reputed source of our remedy, is found one of the most fruitful causes of our misery. Treatment.—The first thing to be done in the cure of dvs-$