On some points in the pathology, diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of pneumonia / by C.H.F. Routh.

  • Routh, C. H. F. (Charles Henry Felix), 1822-1909
Date:
1855
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On some points in the pathology, diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of pneumonia / by C.H.F. Routh. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    -29 There were 25 females, or 25 per cent.; 19 per cent, had double pneumonia; the mortality was 24 per cent. The simple uncomplicated cases were 52, the mortality was 22 per cent. (See above.) The vast number of complicated cases is remarkable; viz. 51 per cent. The number of females is 6 per cent.—too small. In the treatment pursued, the -general rule was to bleed to approaching syncope, and to administer a pill contain¬ ing a quarter of a grain of tartrate of antimony, and half a grain of opium, with one or two grains of calomel every three, four, or six hours, according to rhe severity of the symptoms. These remedies were assisted by a saline con¬ taining from twenty to thirty minims of antimonial wine. If in a few hours, or by next day, the symptoms were not subdued, or recurred, he repeated the venesection. Triple venesections were uncommon: a fourth very rare. Cupping was preferred to from six to twelve ounces; the medicines being generally diminished in quantity and frequency as the case progressed. Blisters were used with good effect in the later stages. Dr. Hughes does not like to trust alone to the tartrate of antimony. Of these 101 cases, he only used his plan in 41; mortality 6, or 14 per cent. In other 9 cases, in which no mercury was given, mortality 2, or 22 per cent. In other 37 cases, bleeding was not admissible or unnecessary; mortality 13, or 34 per cent. These cases at first sight seem to favour the blood-letting system, since a united mortality of 16 per cent, resulted from this practice, as opposed to 34 per cent, without it: but this difference Dr. Hughes attributes to the class of cases, and their marked typhoid character. In a series of cases which I collected, and which occurred in the practice of Drs. Walshe, Taylor, and Peacock, and which, through their kindness, I was enabled to tabulate on a former occasion, the treatment adopted generally, at least by the two former gentlemen, resembled that of Dr. Hughes, although perhaps not so antiphlogistic; viz. blood-letting, local and general, with tartar emetic, although more moder¬ ately employed. The abstract of these cases is as follows. I would divide them into simple or idiopathic, complicated, and secondary. 1st. Idiopathic:— 6] cases, 2 deaths, or 3-2 per cent. 14 were double, 2 cases were females. 9 were of pleuropneumonia. F