A treatise on the blood, inflammation, and gun-shot wounds / by John Hunter ; with notes by James F. Palmer.

  • John Hunter
Date:
1840
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A treatise on the blood, inflammation, and gun-shot wounds / by John Hunter ; with notes by James F. Palmer. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    rounding parts in proportion to the distance; and this is the most common of all the sympathies. An example of it we have in the spreading of inflammation, which will be often mentioned in this treatise.* § 4. Of Mortification. Mortification is of two kinds, the one without inflammation, and the other preceded by it. But as the cases of mortification which will be mentioned in this work are all of the second kind, I shall confine my observations to that species. I consider inflammation as an increased action of that power which a part naturally possesses ; and in healthy inflammations, at least, it is probably attended with an increase of power; but in inflammations which terminate in mortification there is no increase of power,f but on the contrary a diminution of it. This, when joined to an increased action, becomes a cause of mortification, by destroying the balance which ought to subsist between the power and action of every part. There are, besides, cases of mortifica- tion preceded by inflammation, which do not arise wholly from that as a cause, but rather seem to have something in their nature; of this kind is the carbuncle, and the slough formed in the small- pox pustule. If this account of mortifications arising from no specific nature be just, we shall find it no difficult matter to establish a rational mode of cure; but before we attempt this, let us take a view of the treatment which has been hitherto recommended, and see how far it agrees with our theory. It is plain, from the common practice, that the weakness has been attended to ; but it is plain that the increased action has been overlooked : and therefore the whole aim has been to increase the action in order to remove the weak- ness. The Peruvian bark, confectio cardiaca, serpentaria, &c, have been given in large quantities, as the case appeared to require, or the constitution could bear, by which means an artificial or tem- porary appearance of strength has been produced, while it was only an increased action. Cordials and wine, upon the principle * [See the chapter on Sympathy in the Principles of Surgery, p. 105, for a more complete exposition of Mr. Hunter's views on this subject. It is doubtless in many cases possible to trace the sympathy to a particular distribution of the nerves, as when, for example, the nerves of the affected and sympathizing parts derive their origin from the same parts of the nervous centre. Thus, pain in the back is occasioned by irritation of the pelvic viscera, and hemi- crania from caries of the teeth. A perfect knowledge of the minute anatomy of the brain, and of the functions of its different parts, would probably unfold the whole mystery of this subject.] f [13y power I apprehend, is here signified the resistance which is offered by a livincr part to disorganization and death. By the expression, the powers of apart is generally meant the sum of the vital actions going on in that part, as circulation, growth, secretion, &c. Mr. Hunteremploys the expression in a less complex sense, so as simply to express by it the degree and prevalence of the vital principle.]