An appeal to the medical profession, on the utility of the improved patent syringe, with directions for its several uses, shewing, by a statement of facts, the validity of the rights and claims of the patentee.

  • Read, John, 1760-1847
Date:
1824
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An appeal to the medical profession, on the utility of the improved patent syringe, with directions for its several uses, shewing, by a statement of facts, the validity of the rights and claims of the patentee. 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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    us to believe lliat (lie remedy, if used during a lime too short to ward oft' the contagion, moderates very much the malignity of the disease. We know for certain that the renieily does not permanently overcome the disposition to scarlatina; and it is necessary to resume its use on every recurrence of an epidemic. We have always observed that the most intimate communication with the sick does not produce the (lis- ease, provided the medicine has been employed eight or nine times previous to being exposed to the contagion, and continued up to the period of desquamation; a circumstance very important to nurses. It appears more certain to begin with rather strong doses, in order to guard against the first impression of the contagion, and to diminish the quantity after a few days. No sensible effect has been observed to follow the continued use of this small quantity of belladonna. Up to the present time, neither season nor locality, nor any other circum- stance, has appeared to diminish the preservative effect of this plant.” After remarking that the belladonna does not exercise the same power over miliary scarlatina, he proceeds:—“ Do not believe, my learned colleague, that these results have been too lightly deduced, or from a small number of individuals, or from epidemics of little violence. It is from entire provinces,—from cities affected with this terrible scourge, —from epidemics the most fatal, in ail seasons, and in localities the most diversified,—on individuals of every age and of every condition, that observations have been made with the greatest accuracy, and have led to the above results. Belladonna has been long used by Chaussier in cases of rigidity of the os uteri, in the following manner:—Rather more than two drachms (huit gramn]ies) of the prepared extract are softened with an equal quantity of distilled water, and incorporated by trituration with an ounce of hog’s-lard or simple cerate. In order to secure all the benefit which this means is capable of affording, it is necessary that this jire- paration be applied directly to the orifice of the uterus. To effect this, he has contrived a small syringe, which, in place of having a pipe, is roundetl at its extremity, and has an opening large enough to admit the point of the little finger. The piston is pulled back a little, then about the size of a small nut of the ointment is introduced at the upper ori- fice; the syringe is directed by the finger to the mouth of the uterus, the piston is pushed home, ami the ointment forced out; being of a soft consistence, it liquifies and spreads over the parts. At the end of thirty, or at most fiirty, minutes, tlie os uteri becomes soft and relaxed, to such an extent as no longer to present any resistance to the efi'orts to dilate it, or to the contractions of the uterus itself. Tliis method was extensively employed by the late Madame Lachapellu, and is like- wise commended by M. Legrand, the present midwife in chief at the Maison d’Accoucliement.* * Jow iml Universal des Sciences Medicates 96 caliier. t Traill! de la Meihnde Inmi'^alaire, ou de I’Einploi Medical des duins cl duuehes de