Facts establishing the efficacy of the opiate friction in spasmodic and febrile diseases. Also, outlines of an attempt to investigate the nature, causes, and method of cure, of hydrophobia and tetanus ... To which are added, cases and remarks / [Michael Ward].

  • Ward, Michael, active 1809.
Date:
[1809]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Facts establishing the efficacy of the opiate friction in spasmodic and febrile diseases. Also, outlines of an attempt to investigate the nature, causes, and method of cure, of hydrophobia and tetanus ... To which are added, cases and remarks / [Michael Ward]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    without connexion or reserve, the ideas which have occurred to me, on a subject of so much irritability of the system, from which so many evils proceed. In this light I consider mercury ; liquor amnion: caust: — tincture of cantharrides : which have all been employed in this manner : other alterations have also been proposed. To me they appear however to be not merely useless, but likely to be extremely hurtful in these diseases; not only by aggravating the patient’s sufferings without producing any adequate advantage, but by counteracting the operation of those remedies which are calculated to be of use. To can- tharrides indeed, in every form, and in whatever way em- ployed, (blisters are of course included) the objections are, in my mind, insuperable. On this point I know I have the misfortune to differ from many physicians, and others, of whose judgment in other respects, I have the highest opinion; but the conclusion has not been formed on slight or (as I conceive) insufficient grounds, as I could easily show, were this the proper place. Cantharrides have been repeatedly tried both in hydro- phobia and tetanus, but never, I believe, to such an extent, as in a case of tetanus traumaticus, recorded in the 18th. Volume of the Medical and Physical Journal, page 436; which every one who has any faith in this medicine as a remedy in these diseases, or in what is commonly called a stimulant plan of treatment, would do well to peruse. Another mistake has also been made by applying the fr. op. to the part affected, (the lower jaw for instance, or the muscles situated on the back part of the neck, spine, &c., in tetanus) instead of applying it to such parts of the body (as the stomach, belly, arms, legs, and thighs) as that its pri- mary operation may be on the system at large through the medium of the vascular and nervous systems; by which meant much more powerful effects are produced on the irregular actions of particular parts, than by applying it immediately to the latter.]