A practical medico-historical account of the western coast of Africa : embracing a topographical description of its shores, rivers, and settlements, with their seasons and comparative healthiness : together with the causes, symptoms, and treatment, of the fevers of western Africa : and a similar account respecting the other diseases which prevail there / by James Boyle, M.C.S.L., colonial surgeon to Sierra Leone, surgeon R.N., etc.

  • Boyle, James, active 1831.
Date:
MDCCCXXXI [1831]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A practical medico-historical account of the western coast of Africa : embracing a topographical description of its shores, rivers, and settlements, with their seasons and comparative healthiness : together with the causes, symptoms, and treatment, of the fevers of western Africa : and a similar account respecting the other diseases which prevail there / by James Boyle, M.C.S.L., colonial surgeon to Sierra Leone, surgeon R.N., etc. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by King’s College London. The original may be consulted at King’s College London.

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    and a cupping-glass now suggested themselves, as being an improvement upon the common practice of merely dividing the skin : first, because numerous incisions could be made by one stroke of the instrument 5 and, secondly, because the air vi^ould necessarily escape rapidly to supply the vacuum in the glass. This idea vi^as accordingly carried into practice, and the glass acted as was anticipated, but was soon throvm from the surface by the current of air into it. The re-application of the glass was practised two or three times altogether, with such perfect success, that no air was left remaining, nor did it collect again. It is perhaps worthy of remark, as regards the probability of fracture in the first instance, that pain again returned in its original situation, about the centre of the sixth rib, in a rather greater degree than during the emphysematous con- dition of the surrounding parts j this, however, was quickly removed by the application of a few leeches, and the patient was discharged a few days after, in perfect health. [Since writing the above, I have been informed that the patient, whilst at work with his head inclined downwards, and apparently in good health, suddenly fell, and expired.] Case X. Case of Abdominal TVounds, from an Attempt at Self- Destruction. From the same Journal. I was called to visit a patient at seven o'clock, on the evening of the 1st of March, 1830, who was reported to have murdered a female from feelings of jealousy, and to have in- flicted very severe wounds on his own person, with the inten- tion of destroying life. It was stated that, during my ab- sence from Freetown, on a visit to the Liberated African Hospital under my superintendence, the patient had been brought to my house for assistance; but, not finding me at