What to observe at the bed-side and after death in medical cases / edited by Edward Ballard.

  • London Medical Society of Observation.
Date:
1853
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: What to observe at the bed-side and after death in medical cases / edited by Edward Ballard. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    THE PERSONAL DESCRIPTION AND [PART I. *•] of neck, of trunk. limbs. weight, muscular deve lopment. cellulo-fatty development. skin. hair. complexion. countenance. eyes. lips. form of hands, etc. Physiological peculiarities— skin. sweat. muscular strength. digestive system, appetite. thirst, state of bowels. nose to occipital protuberance);—of neck; cir- cumference opposite cricoid cartilage;—of trunk; circumference opposite ensiform cartilage, mid- way between nipples and clavicles, at margin of false ribs, at level of umbilicus. Limbs: well or ill formed? proportional and sym- metrical or not ? Weight. Muscular development (in trunk and limbs): its degree ; proportional or not in upper and lower extremities ? symmetrical or not on the two sides of body ? Cellulo-fatty development: its amount; uniform or affecting a particular locality. Skin: its colour; apparent coarseness or fineness ; visibility of subcutaneous veins.—Development of hair, on the head and elsewhere; its colour; arrangement and mode of growth.— Complexion. Countenance of patient: its physiognomical expres- sion.—Prominence of eyes ; colour and vascularity of conjunctiva;; colour of irides, alike or not in the two eyes ? various in different parts of the same iris ; size of pupil.—Thickness of lips, etc. Form of hands, fingers and feet; conformation of nails; condition of skin on hands, etc.; connexion of the above with habits and occupation of the individual. 5. Physiological peculiarities— Skin: its ordinary condition as to moisture and greasiness; readiness to sweat under exertion; proneness to sweat in certain localities, under what circumstances 1—characters of sweat as to abundance, odour, acidity, etc. Muscular strength (measured by dynamometer); comparative strength of the two sides ; power of enduring continued muscular exertion, whether of upper or lower extremities most remarkable ?— Patient right or left handed ? Digestive system: natural amount of appetite; which is the principal meal ?—is any kind of food naturally and habitually avoided, and why ? is any followed constantly by symptoms of disease ? —Natural degree of thirst.—Habitual condition of the bowels, frequency and character of the stools.