Outlines of the history of medicine and the medical profession / by Joh. Hermann Baas ; translated, and in conjunction with the author rev. and enl., by H.E. Handerson.

  • Johann Hermann Baas
Date:
1889
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Outlines of the history of medicine and the medical profession / by Joh. Hermann Baas ; translated, and in conjunction with the author rev. and enl., by H.E. Handerson. 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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    the second, it becomes oval or spherical : in the third, the head and ex- tremities begin to manifest themselves ; in the fifth, the outlines of the trunk and head are visible and the intellect develops ; in the sixth and seventh, these become more evident; in the eighth, the child becomes rest- less ; in the ninth, tenth, eleventh or twelfth, it is born. Before birth, however, the child turns itself over (cidbute), i. e. The child, who sat with the head erect, the mouth directed toward the spine, praying therewith to God, and beholding the heaven, the earth, and the regions beneath, inverts itself, so that the head now lies beneath, a doctrine which recently, as the result of investigations upon the changes of position of the foetus during pregnancy, has received confirmation and acceptance, although of a more limited and precise character. Regular accouchement requires the aid of four stout women only. If, however, the position of the child is faulty (in which are included footling, back, breech, side and breast presen- tations, as well as presentations of the arms, head, hands and feet together), it must be either improved by the physician, or the labor must be termin- ated artificial]}'. The same must be done in the case of an unusually large head, in contracted pelvis, or in false positions incapable of correction. The sexual life and sphere of woman, in conditions of both health and disease, among the Indians, as among all other oriental people, are subjects of earnest study. Their special pathology includes among internal diseases, rheumatism, gout, haemorrhoids, inflammations, fever, catarrh, diabetes mellitus (first mentioned among the Greeks by Demetrius of Apamea), diarrhoea, jaundice, cough, verminous diseases, epilepsy, mania a potu, the exanthemata, djsen- tery, phthisis etc. Diagnosis is effected b}' the aid of the senses and by examination of the sick, and the physician was expected to pay especial attention to the pulse, the bodily temperature, the color of the skin, the urine and faeces, the eyes, the strength of the voice, and the noise of the respiration (!). The symptomatology of the Indians is very complete, though the oriental descriptions sound strange, and the forms of disease have no analogues with us. Disease of the heart manifests different symptoms according to its origin : If the heart-disease lias originated from the air, the heart becomes strained and tossed to and fro, it is agitated, lacerated, rent and shaken. Thirst, heat, warmth, inflammation and cardiac fatigue, ante in bilious heart-disease. Flatulence, des- pondency, sweating, dryness of the mouth, weight, salivation, disgust for food, stupor, lack of passion, a sweet taste in the mouth, arise when the heart is diseased from mucus. Abdominal colic, expectoration, rigors, pain, eructation, vertigo, disgust for food, redness of the eyes and emaciation 11133- arise when the disease depends upon worms. Vertigo, lassitude, faintness and emaciation are symptoms when this disease originates in worms, but they also appear in patients affected with both worms and mucus. The therapeutics of the Indians are guided b}' the curabilit}- or incur- ability of the disease. If the disease belongs to the incurable class the