Observations, &c. on the epidemic disease, which lately prevailed at Gibraltar : intended to illustrate the nature of contagious fevers in general. [Pt. I] / by Seguin Henry Jackson.

  • Jackson, Seguin Henry, 1752-1816
Date:
1806
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations, &c. on the epidemic disease, which lately prevailed at Gibraltar : intended to illustrate the nature of contagious fevers in general. [Pt. I] / by Seguin Henry Jackson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    impulse caused by maniacal and phrenitic exertions ; any re- sistance also to the return of the venous blood to the heart, as violent straining, may produce the same. This, by distend- ing the vessels, and causing an accumulation, in consequence of the temporary regurgitation, may occasion a rupture of vessels, or such an over distension, as may never be removed. How far sudden terror may produce similar effects, will be more fully considered in another ])lace (68, etseq.). 146. It appears therefore, that a serous effusion may be the consequence of an over distension of, or resistance to, the circulation in the larger vessels, which effusion, in an ordinary way, is no more than an exhalation from the smallest ves- sels ; and as lymphatic vepels and glands have hitherto been but imperfectly discovered in the brain, the only way that a due and regular absorption takes place, must be by the inhalant veins, when not morbidly affected by an undue reguraltation, or resistance, through congestion, or inflammation. In short, whatever obstructs the return of blood, from the brain to the heart, must occasion a temporary compression on the brain, and on some occasions leave a congestion, or effusion, which is not afterwards removed. 146. I cannot, however, help observing, that, from the pe- culiarity in the vascular organization of the brain, and its mem- branes, it is probable, that the encephalon ts much exposed to diseased states, and I believe is more frequently so affected, than is generally imagined. Ts there not much reason to apprehend, that the fatality of fevers in general arises too often, from the disturbed state of the circulation through the brain not being early enough suspected, and too much laid to the account of a supposed idiopathic excitability in the sen- sorium and nervous power, from contagion, when it ought rather to have been considered as symptomatic ? As illustra- tive of these conjectures, I will here put down the peculiarity in the vascular structure of the brain, as being essentially con- nected with most of its organic diseases. 147. The blood is sent from the heart to the head in the (