[First] Statistical report on the Edinburgh epidemic fever of 1843-44 / [Andrew Halliday Douglas].

  • Douglas, A. Halliday (Andrew Halliday), 1819-1908.
Date:
1844]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: [First] Statistical report on the Edinburgh epidemic fever of 1843-44 / [Andrew Halliday Douglas]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    cases were not remarkable for severity. It will be borne in mind that the whole number of these cases, with imperfect inter¬ mission, did not exceed 15 in number. The Duration of the Intermission.—This was various ; in some cases as short as three days, most frequently it lasted for five or seven days, but in some instances for a much longer period. The average duration was 7T5 days, calculated from 59 cases; in 10 of which the first crisis occurred on the fifth day ; in 23 on the seventh day ; and in 16 on the eighth, ninth, and tenth days. The Relation of the Duration of the Intermission to the date of the First Crisis.—Dr O’Brien, in describing a fever which closely resembled that we are at present investigating, states that the remission appeared to be longer in the seven-day fevers than in the five-day cases.” The following averages, ascertained from 53 of our cases, express the result of three calculations on this question:— 1^^, In 10 cases, in which the crisis occurred on the fifth day, 6*6 days is the average duration of the intermission. 2d, In 23 cases, in which the crisis occurred on the seventh day, 7‘65 days is its average duration. 3c?, In 16 cases, in which the crisis occurred 8 times on the eighth day, 4 times on the ninth day, and 4 times on the tenth day, 7T2 days is the average duration of this stage. Some authors are of opinion, that they have observed a re¬ mission in the symptoms on the third day of the disease. In the few cases admitted at this early stage, I have been quite unable to discover any thing of the kind; and I believe, if such a remission ever occurs, that it does so with no regularity, and that it forms no part of the general features of the disease. 4?A, The Relapse.—This term has been objected to. Now, though there is something indefinite in the signification of the word, I do not think that one more suitable could easily have been adopted. The confusion is altogether owing to our overlooking the state under which the relapse takes place, and to the fact of many physicians speaking and writing of a “relapse in fevers,” when a mere accidental febricula has occurred, and by no means “ the relapse of the fever, properly speaking, or repetition of it within a short period.” The relapse is considered under the following subdivisions :—1st, Its Frequency; 2d, Its Date ; 3c?, Its Date in relation to Sex; 1th, Its Date in relation to Age; bth. Its Date in relation to the Date of the First Crisis; 6th, Its Phenomena. The Frequency of the Relapse.—There exists a difference of opinion as to whether the relapse occurs in every case or not. From all I have been able to observe of the disease, I am dis¬ posed to believe that no case escaped without relapsing ; though the severity of the accompanying symptoms and its date ai’c very various. Tn tliis report, it is impossible to calculate thi>