Observations on the use of the stethoscope in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the chest. Probationary essay presented to the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons, Glasgow / [William Craig].

  • Craig, William
Date:
1833
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations on the use of the stethoscope in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the chest. Probationary essay presented to the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons, Glasgow / [William Craig]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    the surface, percussion emits a very peculiar sound, which is with difficulty described. Instead of its being the hollow sound of the healthy chest, I would say that it is somewhat metallic, and conveys the idea of the sound emitted by a cracked earthen vessel, compared to that by an entire one. I have observed this sound so frequently, that I consider it a sure sign of a large cavity, or a number of smaller ones communicating with each other. Such then is a very short and condensed view of Laennec’s manner of examining the diseases of the lungs and heart. It was not the intention of the author to enter minutely into the subject, but only to expose the method so far as to show that there is no charlatanism connected with the use of the stethoscope, as has been supposed by some, but, that on the contrary it is founded on sound philosophic principles ; this must be admitted by every one who devotes the slightest at- tention to the subject. It is evident that auscultation has put us in possession of a new class of symptoms, much more infallible in their nature than the general symptoms, in as much as they are caused by the action of the organ itself, and are so inti- mately connected with the state of the organ, as to be ma- terially affected by the slightest change in its structure. They have hence been very justly called the physical signs. Some have, however, doubted that the stethoscopic signs are sure and invariable indications of the different morbid states. This is a point which no argument or train of reasoning can decide ; it is only by referring to the facts recorded by the different authors who have written on the subject, or by examining disease for ourselves, that we can arrive at any thing like a conclusion on this subject. In the Parisian hospitals, where the use of the stethoscope is taken advantage of in every case of disease of the lungs or heart, the physicians are regularly in the habit of predicting the diseased appearances before the body is inspected, and it very seldom happens that they are wrong. In most of the hospitals of this country the same thing is now done, and with great accuracy. Were the stethoscopic signs not sure
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