Ourselves, our food, and our physic / by Benjamin Ridge.

  • Ridge, Benjamin
Date:
1861
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Ourselves, our food, and our physic / by Benjamin Ridge. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    an exanthematous eni])tion showed itself on the body, anns, and legs. The pulse rose in some cases to 130 per minute ; tlio tougue gnvdually coating with a white fur,—then, as the disease progressed, becoming brown and dry. In two cases, however, which proved fatal, tlie tongue kept moist and very little coated, but swollen ; and in a third, which recovered, an aphthous eruption appeared on tlie fauces and back part of the tongue. In most instances the skin was moist after the second or third day, and a tendency to diarrlicea was mani- fested in ncaily all: more or less delirium was also present. In favoimiblc cases the foui'teenth day was generally the turning point of tlie disease; whilst the fatal cases terminated before that date.’ This is the description; and beyond the treatment being chiefly stimulant, nothing is said of medicine, which was probably in accordance with the best received opinions, or mther the opinion of every man who had to treat any of the cases. ‘ Heotlache ’ is sjioken of; but no parts named which could lead to the diagnosis of the organs, having distinct sympathy with such; wiiilst the almost accidental mention of the appeai'ances of the tongue leads to no philo- sophy of the state of the secretions; the absence of all know- ledge of the Glossological divisions completely shuts out all traces of the organs consecutively afiected, and consequently the law of the gradation of the disease, as it appeared in the various subjects which became infected. Thus:—‘ The tongue grailually coating with a white fur, then, as the disease progicsscd, becoming brouii and dry.’ This condition is seen and mentioned; but what language does it not speak to the Glossologist ? It shows tlie gratlual march of the acid or congestive elements on the mucous membranes in the venous system, and exemplifies the rapidity wth which these flew to the serous mcmbiunes, until the arterial circulation became implicated, thus follo^ving the laws here before sot forth; every stage pointing out the specific remedy. The exanthematous or pocky eruption indicated the crisis of the venous or congestive and acid elements, precisely as small-pox does—when the greatest support is necessary. Lastly, that which was most con- clusive was the ‘ tendency to diarrhoea,’ always accomjianied by ‘more or less delirium;’ a fact that the bowels should
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