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.

    74/226 (page 58)
    the modus operandi of opium applied external! v has not been completely ascertained, we shall hardly be inclined to reject the important facts •we are now acquainted with, merely on that account. * Hitherto, my attempts to ascertain the primary operation of opium applied externally on the pulse, have not been successful. Patients afflicted with spasmodic or convulsive diseases being usually timid and apprehensive, are not favourable subjects for the purpose ; but I harve reason to believe, that opium acts more simply and directly as a sedative upon the vascular and nervous systems when applied externally, than when given internally; and I think it is prin- cipally, if not entirely to this cause, that the' superior advantages of applying it externally, in certain cases, are to be attributed. Several passages occur in the places just referred to, which strongly corroborate this idea. In the case of Mr. G. P. (see No. I.) calmness was the first effect of the O. F. which was succeeded by sleep, a return of appe- tite j and the first time his pulse was examined, it was found reduced from 100 to 80: and in that of Mrs. , “ I found her (says Dr. P.) in a state of high delirium without fever. Having remarked that under similar circum- [* A few alterations have been made in the remaining part of this paper.]