A dictionary of practical medicine : comprising general pathology, the nature and treatment of diseases ... with numerous prescriptions ... a classification of diseases ... a copious bibliography, with references; and an appendix of approved formulae / ... By James Copland.

James Copland

Date:: 1844-58

Credit: A dictionary of practical medicine : comprising general pathology, the nature and treatment of diseases ... with numerous prescriptions ... a classification of diseases ... a copious bibliography, with references; and an appendix of approved formulae / ... By James Copland. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Lamar Soutter Library, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Lamar Soutter Library at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

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$AGRYPNIA. See Sleeplessness. AGUE. See Fever — Intermittent Fevers. AIR. See Disease, its Causation, liemoval, (S;c. ALOPECIA. See Haiti, the Loss of. AJMAUROSIS, from a/j.avp6s, obscure. Syn. Guita Serena, Suff'usio A'/ar«,Celsus, Lucretius, Pliny. Obscuritas, Hehetudo, Paulus /Egin. Paropsis Amartrosis, Good. Caiaractu Nigra, Auct. Germ, quibusd. L'Amaitrose, Fr. Die Scliwurze Staur, Germ. Gotta Serena, Ital. Stehelindlteit, Hoi. Sujf'itsion, Drop Serene, Rlilton. Dimness of Si>ilit, Blindness. Classif. 4. Class, Local Diseases ; 1. Order, Impaired Sensations (^Cullen). 4. Clans, Diseases of the jNervous Function ; 2. Order, AfJecting the Sensations (Good). Functional Amaurosis, I. Class, IV. Or- der. Orj^unic Amaurosis, IV. Class, III. Order {Author, see ihe Preface). \, Defin. Partial or total blindness, from affec. tion of the retina, or of the nerves, or of that part of the bruin related to the organ of sight, whether arising primarily from funciional disorder, congestion, infammation, or any other change of these parts ; or occurring from sympathy with otlier organs. Or, in other words. Partial or total loss of sight, from other causes than those ivliich obstruct the passage of the rays of light to the bottom of the eye. 2. Amaurosis is met with at all ages; but most frequently in the moie advanced terms of life. It is somelinses congenital ; and in these cases it is often difficult to ascertain the nature and seat of the affection. When it occurs at advanced periods of life, an attentive inquiry into the history of the disease, of the previous habits and ailments of the patient, and of the various resulting and related moibid phenomena, will generally ihrbw light upon its pathology. 3. I. Seat of .\maurosis.—1st, In the retina:. —Viewing the delicate structure of the retina ; its relation to the optic nerve, of which it is an ex- pansion of great tenuity ; its connection with the choroid and hyaloid membrane, and its nervous and vascular communications ; and considering the various morbid slates it is liable to undergo, in consequence of its relations with these and other parts; a partial, and even total, abolition of its functions is to be looked for on some occasions. It is, like all other parts of the frame, liable to congestion and inflammation, with their usual re- sults; and, like other nervous parts, its functions are subject to a partial or complete extinction without itself evincing any change of structure, its sensibdity alone being impaired or abolished ; owing either to some unuppreciable change, or to some one or more of those alterations in its ad- joining or related parts about to be noticed. 4. 2d, In the optic nerves.—'J'liese nerves may be more or less changed in some part of their course, from the anterior pair of the corpora quadrigeminu, along the thalami, the tubera ciiieiea, and their partial decussation, until they terminate in the formation of iheretinaa. In :)])preciating, however, lesions in the course of the optic nei ves, the results of experiments on them should be taken into con- sideration :— if an oplic nerve be divided previous to this decussation, sight is altogether lost on the ojjposiie side ; but if the division be made be- tween the decussation and the eye, vision is lest on ihe same side. 5. 3d, In the ganglial nerves.—There is every rea- son to suppose that the retina is in intimate commu- nication with other nerves, and that it mutually influences and is influenced by them. Branches of the great sympathetic may be traced upwards, from the first cervical ganglion, to the ganglion lodged in the cavernous sinus; whence branches proceed and communicate with the third, the fiist division of the fifth, and sixth pairs of nerves. Branches also passes from the cavernous ganglion directly to the lenticular ganglion. As the internal carotid artery passes into the cranium, it is sur- rounded by the sympathetic nerves, which accom- pany all its ramifications. The ophthalmic artery is invested with these nerves ; its branches to the choroid, iris, and retina being similarly provided. Branches of nerves, moreover, proceed from the lenticular ganglion, as IVL Ribes (JU^m de la Soc. Mtd. d'Eniulution, t. vii. p. 99.), and others have demonstrated, to the iris, giving more minute blanches in their course to the retina. This con- nection being established, morbid states of these nerves and ganglia, or changes of structure in their vicinity aflftcting their functions, must neces- sarily impair the sense of sight. 6. 4th, Other nerves, as ihe fifth and third pair are, in some cases, also the seat of amaurosis. It has been shown by Magendie and Desmoulins that the integrity of the fifth pair is necessary to the perfect function of the retina ; and Mr. Mayo has furnished evidence that the third pair is re- quisite to the motions of the pupil. If the great sypalhetic be divided in the upper part of the neck, the pupil becomes contracted and immove- able, and the eye wastes. 7. 5th, Parts of the encephalon connected with the optic nerves in their course are occasionally the seat of amaurosis, as pathological research and experiment have shown. MM. Magendie and Serues have proved that, when these parts are wounded, the sight of the opposite eye becomes either weak or extinct. 8. 6th, The pineal and pituitary glands are frequently the only parts in which any alteration can be detected in the examination of amaurotic subjects. The connection of these glands with the ganglial system is stated at another place. Besides these, other parts of the brain, when the seat of organic disease, are not infrequently the principal source of amaurosis, as shown here- after. 9. 11. Causes.—1st, The predisposing causes of amaurosis are very diversified. Amongst these, the influence of heredilaiy disposition is well esta- blished. Beer traced it in several families ; in one of them through three successive generations, and parliculaily in the females of that family who luul not boine childien, it having appeared in them at the cessation of the menses. Heir also states, that dark eyes are much more liable to it than ihe light; the proportion being upwards of twenty to one. 10. VVliatever tends to favour sanguineous con- gestion of, or seious iflusion in, the encephalon, particularly insolation ; foiced exertions of the mind or body ; excesses of passion ; the pregnant and puerperal states; occujiations requiring fre- quent stooping ; errors of diet, and neglected ail- ments affecting the stomach and liver; the abuse of wine or spirituous litjuois; suppressed dis- charges, particularly those from the nose and ears; interruption or entire cessation, of the$