Compressed air as a therapeutic agent in the treatment of consumption, asthma, chronic bronchitis and other diseases / by Archibald Simpson.

  • Simpson, Archibald, 1790-1847.
Date:
1857
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Compressed air as a therapeutic agent in the treatment of consumption, asthma, chronic bronchitis and other diseases / by Archibald Simpson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    21/40 page 21
    murmur returned. We have observed instances where dulness of percussion, harshness of inspiration, prolonged expiration, and in¬ creased vocal resonance, have been succeeded by fine mucous sounds, which gradually disappeared, followed by a gradual return of the normal sounds; and others, where loud mucous rales have been per¬ ceived over the whole chest, with scarcely a vesicular murmur audible, where the mucus has gradually, as it were, dried up, giving place to the natural breathing. But, farther, we have noticed an instance, where every indication of a cavity existed, in which the loud mucous rales have given way, and the increased vocal reson¬ ance been reduced, till ultimately all cavernous sounds have dis¬ appeared. We would here notice the very interesting fact of the close re¬ semblance of the phenomena observable during the process of ab¬ sorption of tubercular deposit, to those which accompany the removal of pneumonic exudation. In the latter case, we find the tubular breathing becoming gradually less pronounced, and mingled with the “ rhonchus crepitans redux” indicative of the softening of the deposit; which, after a variable time, gives place by degrees to the vesicular murmur, the dulness of percussion and increased vocal resonance also gradually disappearing, till the affected parts are restored to their former condition. Similar phenomena we have had opportunities of observing as the result of the treatment of phthisis by compressed air*. Cases have come under our notice, where the natural vesicular murmur had completely disappeared, being replaced by harsh bronchial sounds, with dulness on percussion, increased vocal resonance, and depression of the affected part,—all indicative, when taken in connection with the other features of the case, of deposit of tubercle. We have traced from week to week the soften¬ ing of the harsh and bronchial sounds, the manifestation of mucous rales, of greater or less intensity, continuing for a time, and accom¬ panied by slight constitutional disturbance, and diminution of the vital capacity of the chest. The mucous sounds then gradually gave place to the vesicular murmur, while the dulness of percussion lessened, vocal resonance became less loud, and the expansion of the lung at the affected part manifestly increased. All these favourable actions are, moreover, materially aided by the sedative action of the compressed air on the arterial circulation—a fact of the highest importance, when we consider how very frequently, in phthisical cases, we have to combat accelerated circulation and general excitement. That this sedative action is not dependent merely on amelioration of the pulmonary affection, is shown by the fact, that it is manifested quite as strongly, and often indeed more so, in cases where no pulmonary affection could be supposed to exist. It is, in some measure, explicable by the facilitation we have shown to take place, of the flow of blood in the pulmonary and systemic capillaries, and the acceleration of the venous current, relieving, to some extent, the heart, in its function of propelling the blood through
    digitised image 1
    digitised image 2
    digitised image 3