Rheumatism: its nature, causes, and cure : gout: its nature, causes, cure, and prevention / by James Alexander.

  • James Alexander
Date:
1858
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Rheumatism: its nature, causes, and cure : gout: its nature, causes, cure, and prevention / by James Alexander. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    is most efficiently performed; and on the con- trary in birds, in whom the thick feathery cover- ing prevents the cutaneous evolution of carbo- naceous impurities, and in whom the kidneys have to discharge the depurative duties of the two organs, the skin, and kidneys, we find uric acid alone. The first disease on Becquerel’s ’ list, chlorosis, gives in the minimum of five cases, uric acid in the ratio of 1 to 43; in the maximum of five cases, 1 to 29; the average ! would exhibit no great deviation from the ] healthy standard. J The slight departure from the standard of ■] health that does occur is probably due to the | deficiency of fibrine and of nitrogenous elements j in the blood; oxidation of tissue goes on slowly | but effectually, and, owing to the enfeebled state i of the circulation, absorption takes place with ; rapidity, and the urea tliat is formed is rapidly | filtered from the circulation. Although the I oxidation of tissue is slight under this weak cir- i culation, and the quantity of urea is below the 1 average, still it is relatively in excess, but that j excess is not always to be relied on. The heart is very irritable in this affection, and if the ! patient is exposed to excitement, and tlie circu- lation accelerated, there will certainly be an excess of urea, and a deficiency of uric acid, as
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