A treatise on the venereal disease / by John Hunter ; with notes by George G. Babington.
- John Hunter
- Date:
- 1841
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: A treatise on the venereal disease / by John Hunter ; with notes by George G. Babington. 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.)
84/348
![from the vessels of that part. In such bleeding, the balsam capivi, given internally, has been of service ; and it may be supposed that all the turpentines will be equally useful. I have not found any good effects from astringent injections, and in some cases have suspected that they have been the cause of this complaint. They always go off in the usual time of the cure of the gonorrhoea.* § 2. Of preventing Painful Erections. Opium, given internally, appears to have great effects in pre- venting painful erections in many cases. Twenty drops of tinctura thebaica, taken at bedtime, have procured ease for a whole night. The cicuta likewise seems to have some powers in this way. § 3. Of the Treatment of the Chordee. In the beginning of this complaint bleeding from the arm is often of service; but it is more immediately useful to take away blood from the part itself by leeches, for we often find by a vessel giving way in the urethra, and a considerable hemorrhage ensuing, that the patient is greatly relieved. Relief will often be obtained by exposing the penis to the steam of hot water. Poultices likewise have bene- ficial effects, and both fomentations and poultices will often be assisted in removing inflammatiou by the addition of camphor. Opium given internally, is of singular service, and if it be joined with camphor the effect will be still greater; but opium in such cases acts rather by lessening the pain than by removing the inflammation, though by preventing erections it may be said to obviate the immediate cause of the complaint. When the chordee continues after all other symptoms are gone, little, or nothing, in the way of evacuation, seems to be necessary, the inflammation being subdued, and a consequence of it only remaining, which will cease gradually by the absorption of the extravasated coagulable lymph. Therefore bleeding in this case can be of no use. Mercurial ointment applied to the parts will pro- mote the absorption of the extravasated coagulable lymph, for experience has shown that mercury has considerable powers in exciting absorption. The friction itself also will be of use. In one case considerable benefit seemed to result from giving the cicuta, after the common methods of cure had been tried. Electricity may be of service. This symptom is indeed often longer in going off than either the running or pain ; but no bad consequences arise from it. Its declension is gradual and uniform, as happens in most consequences of inflammation. * [Bleeding from the urethra in gonorrhoea is beneficial, and should very sel- dom be repressed. If, however, the quantity which is lost is very excessive, and it becomes necessary to check it, the application of cold, in the form of a bladder filled with ice, to the perinaeum will be found by much the most effectual remedy.]](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21131508_0084.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
