Beriberi / by Edward B. Vedder.

  • Vedder, Edward Bright, 1878-1952.
Date:
1913
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Beriberi / by Edward B. Vedder. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service. The original may be consulted at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service.

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    HISTORY OF BERIBERI Earliest References. The earliest reference to beriberi is to be found, according- to Macgowan, in the Neiching, which is said to be the oldest medical treatise extant, and is attributed to Hwangti (B. C. 2697). It was possibly common in China at this time and it may have existed even before this period because it is likely that it existed for some time before an account of it was written, and because Chinese customs, food and conditions of life have changed little with the passing centuries, and were probably much the same then as they are now. We should expect that beriberi, a food disease, would be prevalent then exactly as it is now. The Kinki (golden chest), written about 200 A. D. by Chochiyukei, and one of the fundamental books of Chinese medicine, is said to con- tain a few prescriptions for beriberi. It seems quite certain also that beriberi was present and known to the Romans in 24 B. C, since Strabo and Dion Cassius describe it or a similar disease which was observed in the Roman army invading Arabia at that time. (Meyer-Ahrens.) Again Kakko is referred to in A. D. 130 by Chingoho in his Receipts under the Elbow, so-called because the author was accustomed to carrv the book in this manner. The first good description of the disease is found in the Senkinho (thousand golden prescriptions), written by Sonshibaku about 640 A. D. This oldest description of kakke, from which the identit}^ of the disease with beriberi is demonstrated, was translated into German by Scheube, and retranslated is as follows: Kakke is produced by a gaseous poison. This originates in the earth, from which cold, heat, air and dampness cause it to transpire. The feet rest always on the earth, and therefore the poison attacks the feet first and later the arms, stomach, Ijack, head and neck. At first the patient for the most part does not know he is sick. In some cases the sickness advances gradually, and sometimes it begins suddenly with great unrest, and two or three days later the patient can no longer stand and now becomes aware of his disease for the first time. The symptoms are very insignificant in the beginning, the
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