Nitro-glycerine as a remedy for angina pectoris / by William Murrell.

Date:
1882
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Nitro-glycerine as a remedy for angina pectoris / by William Murrell. 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.

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    NITEO-GLYCEEIKE had several similar attacks at short intervals. At first they came on only at night, awaking him from sleep and lasting sometimes from twenty minutes to half an hour. The pain was usually accompanied by a sense of oppression as if the chest failed to expand properly, or as if sulphur had been inhaled. A Httle later he found that the attacks were always induced by walking, or by hurry or excitement of any kind. Going up hiH would be sure to bring it on, whilst riding could not even be attempted. Dr. J. had been carefuUy examined by several medical men by whom he was assured that there was no organic disease of either heart or lungs. He was under tbe im]3ression that he was gouty,' al- though he had never had a developed attack. The nitro-glycerine was at once commenced, with what success will be gathered from the following extract from Dr. J's. letter to the Lancet, AprU 19tb, 1879. He says :—I began to use the medicine at first in small doses—two minims of the one per cent, solution of the nitro-glycerine, every three or four hours during -the day. I always found rehef if I took the dose when 1 felt the first threatening of an attack, and the par- oxysm was staved off. I continued to take the two minum doses regularly every three or four hours for about four days; and, as the attacks did not trouble me BO much, I began to diminish the frequency of the dose and only took it when I felt an attack threatened. I always carry an ounce and a half bottle of the diluted solution in the breast pocket of my coat; the bottle carefully marked for six doses, each dose containing £ve minims of the one per cent, solution. If I feel an