The nature of inflammation, and the principles on which it should be treated, examined from a common sense point of view / by Thomas Inman. To which is added, A history of atheroma in arteries, its nature and alliances, showing the bond of union between consumption, aneurism, apoplexy, scrofula, and fatty degenerations of the heart and other organs.

Thomas Inman

Date:: [1860?]

Credit: The nature of inflammation, and the principles on which it should be treated, examined from a common sense point of view / by Thomas Inman. To which is added, A history of atheroma in arteries, its nature and alliances, showing the bond of union between consumption, aneurism, apoplexy, scrofula, and fatty degenerations of the heart and other organs. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

41/68 page 37

sanguine stream ; but it is clear that if ive habitually prefer to weaken the impulse, rather than to diminish the resistance, tve shall materially curtail the future powers available for repairing damages. If inflam- mation be itself a deteriorating process, we must be careful to avoid farther depreciation as much as possible. Experience shows, as far as we have been able to acquire it, that I all forms of inflammation have a more or less definite course to run, ' which varies with the cause of the complaint and the condition of the ] patient. Thus gout produces one form and vaccinia another ; variola, I rubeola, scarlatina, the paludal poison, all produce forms more or less 1 characteristic, and differing from each other in important features. No plan of treatment that has hitherto been discovered can alter the ! specific character of the inflammation : we cannot make the varioloid i inflammation terminate as tlie rubeoloid, or the scarlatinal as varioloid ; we cannot make the podagral inflammation terminate as the erysipe- latous, or the carbuncular as the catarrhal. If this be so, it follows that our efibrts must be directed to watch the natural efi'orts, and, where necessary, to obviate tendencies destructive to life or to important organs. As soon, then, as the first burst of fever has begun to subside, it is our duty to stay our operations until we have some distinct indication to guide us as to our future course. At present careful observation and enlightened experience have taught us the ordinary course followed by those inflammations which are produced by the operation of known poisons ; we can judge from the phenomena of the second part of their career of the best plan to be adopted during the first. In consequence of this knowledge venoesection is no longer practised in erysipelas, typhus, small pox, measles, or scarlatina during the first stage ; for, as a general rule, the patient requires during the second stage all his powers to enable him to recover from the depressing influence of the poison, or the disease it has induced. It is probable that a still more extended experience will add greatly to our knowledge of diseases which ought to be so treated. Thus mania, which was at one time considered as a complaint requiring the most active treat- ment and most heroic blood-letting, is now recognized as one of debility—the harbinger frequently of a break-up of the system, and one requiring generous living and tonics rather than a diet of rhubarb pie and senna tea. Until we have gained this experience for ourselves we may avail ourselves of that gained by others, and both British and foreign authors have demonstrated that ^eumonia, acute rheumatism, pleurisy, and others may be advantageously treated without general loss of blood. Englishmen are proverbially slow in appreciating a new doctrine or a new practice, when it is opposed to the old established

Licence and re-use

Contents