Remarks on the scurvy as it appeared among the English prisoners in France, in the year 1795 : with an account of the effects of opium in that disease, and of the methods proper to render its use more extensive and easy; (written during his confinement in the Tower) / by R.T. Crosfeild.

  • Robert Thomas Crosfeild
Date:
1797
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Remarks on the scurvy as it appeared among the English prisoners in France, in the year 1795 : with an account of the effects of opium in that disease, and of the methods proper to render its use more extensive and easy; (written during his confinement in the Tower) / by R.T. Crosfeild. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    [ * ] furprifing ; blit it fomewhat aftonifhed me to .meet with it under the complete refemblanee of pleurify; particularly in the months of June and July. I knew too much of this infidious enemy, to fuffer myfelf to be deceived by a full, or even pretty hard pulfe; but I once had the curiofity to draw about four ounces of blood from an otherwife healthy and robuft young man, to fatisfy myfelf as to the prefence of the inflammatory cruft. The event, however, ihewed the great propriety of abftaining from phlebotomy, even in thofe cafes that feem moft to demand it; for the blood, during its flowing, exhibited a very remarkable broken fparkling, and, as it were, Tandy afpeft;, nor did it, on handing. feparate into ferum and craflamen- tum, as ufual, but remained in a mafs of various hues, and poflefling but little firmnefs. Though the fcurvy often borrowed thefe forms, it moft frequently affumed its ordinary fymptoms:—thefe were itinking breath, fwelled, fpongy, and bloody gums, tumours, itiffhefs of the joints (particularly of the knees), black, brown, purple, or livid fpbts, fome no larger than a flea-bite, others very large, refembling bruifes, accompanied by great debility and dejeftion of fpirits. The fcurvy has formerly been erroneoufly reprefented by fome as a new difeafe,* and the almoft peculiar progeny of cold climates, but experience has fufficiently demonftrated that it is no ftranger even to the warmed. Cold, efpe- cially when joined with moifture, has, however, * It was said to have first appeared in 1556; but Dr. Solomon dc !Leon, in an “ Inatigural Dissertation,” published at Leyden, in 1 *90, proves clearly that it was known tb the Ancients under the name ot tStQffiUCGCCp , fuch ;