Consumption curable! / by Dr. Hall.

William Whitty Hall

Date:: 1843

Credit: Consumption curable! / by Dr. Hall. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

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$averted or arrested, by bleeding, digitalis, mercury, prussic acid, emetics, blistering, cicuta, Liverwort, stove rooms, &c.? Have yon ever known a case of apparent and supposed consump- tion cured, unconnected with free exercise in the open air at all seasons? It is one main object in the new system to obtain the advantages referred to, and yet remain at home. A granulation, (one of those drops, pressed out, or secreted, in the vessels spread out on the sides of the air cells of the lungs) may be come a tubercle in three or four weeks. Louis. Tubercles are tumors of a dull yellowish white aspect, of variable consistence; and softening alter a certain time, empty into bronchial tubes, thence into the windpipe and give rise to excavations more or less considerable. Where tuberculous matter is not removed from the lungs, it inai be arrested, and kepi at bay. Habitual activity of body and mind has often kept the malady at bay, foravery long series of years, A tuberculous habit Is indicated] by a glazed and shining appear- ance ol'the skin, at the roots of the linger nails, extending nearly uj» to the first joint. Persons in a decline frequently say to me, I do not think much is the matter with me, but L know I am not as strong as I used to he, I believe I am getting nervous, the slightest noise causes me to starlit. and I am very restless at night, sometimes I cannot get to sleep for hours, and even then my re it is disturbed. Changes ofteuiperature, and night sweats, genwally come on, in the lust stage of this disease. M. Chum.ki. says that out of 358 cases of sickness and death from all diseases under bis care during forty- two months. 143, or nearly one half had tube rcles in the lungs; really had consnui] ion. reuch Physician found, that two otit of ten died in six months from the beg'mniti, of the disease, four out of ten, died between tli e. .hand twelfth month; and about two out of ten, would linger, on for (w o years. About two thirds of the cases spit blood, and th rally worse at the beginnings li generally comes on without any ling, or any apparent cause, aud when the person appears in perfect health. Copious spitti%g of blood, that is. when several table Bpoonfullsare spit up in a few hours. is seldom repeated three or four times in one person. Only a feu complain of pain ol their own accord- it is owing to the absence of pain, its insignificance and rarity, tojther with the silent and unseen progress of the dise i so compl deceivedas to their real situation. Almost all have loose bowels during some part of the disease; but generally in the lei stage. In the greatest num- ber of cases, the cough comes on without any evident cause, and fre- quently one, or Beveral months pa \ away, « ill.out expectoration which at first is clear, frothy, white A dry cough, followed i:i onu or more months by such an expectoration, wflh pains in the breaator between the shoulders, with spitting of blood before oral the time render the presence of tubercles certain. And this combination of symptoms is very frequent. Lou^i OCTOBER 23d, 1843.$

Consumption curable! / by Dr. Hall.

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