First lines of the practice of physic / by William Cullen, M.D. ... ; with practical and explanatory notes, by John Rotheram, M. D. ; in two volumes ; vol. I[-II].

  • Cullen, William, 1710-1790.
Date:
1805
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: First lines of the practice of physic / by William Cullen, M.D. ... ; with practical and explanatory notes, by John Rotheram, M. D. ; in two volumes ; vol. I[-II]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    warm flushings. Bv degree*, the cold goes off entirely , and a heat, greater than natural prevails, and continues over the whole bod v. With this heat, the color of the skin re- turns, and a preternatural redness appears, especially in the face. Whilst the heat and redness conies on, the skin is re- laxed and smoothed, but for some time continues dry. The features of the face, and other parts of the body, recover their usual size, and become even more turgid. When the heat, redness, and turgescence have increased and continu- ed for some time, a moisture appears upon the forehead, and by degrees becomes a sweat, which gradually extends downwards over the whole body. As this sweat continues to flow, the heat of the body abates ; the sweat, after con- tinuing some time, gradually ceases ; the body returns to its usual temperature ; and most of the functions are re- stored to their ordinary state.* 11.] This series of appearances gives occasion to divide the paroxysm into three different stages ; which are called the cold, the hot, and the sweating stages or Fits. In the course of these, considerable changes happen in the state of several other functions, which are now to be mentioned. 12.] Upon the first approach of languor, the pulse be- comes sometimes slower, and always weaker than before. As the sense of cold comes on, the pulse becomes smaller, very frequent, and often irregular. As the cold abates and the heat comes on, the pulse becomes more regular, hard and full ; and in these respects, increases till the sweat breaks out. As the sweat flows, the pulse becomes softer, and less frequent, till the sweat ceasing altogether, it re- turns to its usual state. 13.] The respiration also suffers some changes. During the coid stage, the respiration is small, frequent and anxious, and is sometimes attended with a cough : as the hot stage comes on, the respiration becomes fuller and more free ; but continues still frequent and anxious, till the flowing of the sweat relieves the anxiety, and renders the breathing less frequent and mere free. With the ceasing of the sweat, the breathing returns to its ordinary state. 14.] The natural functions also suffer a change. Upon the approach of the cold stage, the appetite for food ceases, and does not return till the paroxysm be over, or the sweat * Tbi« desrription of a paroxysm is truk admirable. The symptorrts are most accurately de, WTbed, and the order of their succession most itrialy attended to by the author.