A treatise on the Bath waters. Pt. I. / [Sir George Smith Gibbes].

  • George Smith Gibbes
Date:
1812
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A treatise on the Bath waters. Pt. I. / [Sir George Smith Gibbes]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    itself affected, as will be shewn when we attempt to explain the nature of palsy. To remove the local obstruction in chronic rheu- matism seems to be the first indication of cure, and this is to be effected both by giving a general activity to the vessels of the body, and by exciting those of the part. Whatever therefore is debili- tating must protract the cure, and bleeding, which in the acute form of the disorder may under certain lrmitations be admitted, in this seems improper. Bleeding, however, is of dubious efficacy, even in states of rheumatism, where inflammation may be suspected, for though the’ remay be much inflam- matory crust observable in blood drawn from patients labouring under acute rheumatism, the disorder by no means relents on pushing that re- medy to any extent similar to what is required in other inflammatory complaints. Irreparable in- jury arises from too much bleeding im this disease, for not only are states of chronic rheumatism, which are incurable, brought on, but it is very probable, that there would be a greater quantity of gelatinous exudation where patients have fol- lowed a very lowering plan. Morgagni mentions, that on the dissection of a yheumatic patient, Drelincourt found a jelly con- creted on the surface of the muscles, equal to two or three ducats in thickness, ‘This gelatinous substance is far different from those depositions which take place in consequence of. great inflam-