An essay on burns, in two parts; principally on those which happen to workmen in mines from the explosions of carburetted hydrogen gas; containing also a view of the opinions of ancient and modern authors upon the treatment of accidents by fire; and including a variety of cases conducted upon different principles ... / [Edward Kentish].

  • Kentish, Edward, -1832
Date:
1817
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An essay on burns, in two parts; principally on those which happen to workmen in mines from the explosions of carburetted hydrogen gas; containing also a view of the opinions of ancient and modern authors upon the treatment of accidents by fire; and including a variety of cases conducted upon different principles ... / [Edward Kentish]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    18] eapable of being brought or drawn out of it, by another body having a greater affinity to caloric than the body itself. Thus Sir James observes: “From every observation I have made, the fire does not produce all its effects on the first attack or immediate contact with the part, but after- wards lies rankling in it, and continues to spread its destructive influence until its fury is spent or its power concentrated, as is evident from the continuance and even increase of the excessive pain and inflammation.”” Again: ‘ Whether modern philosophers will allow that fire applied to any part of the human body does remain united to it fora time, I am not certain; but such appears to be the fact; and this opinion, find, has been maintained by several very re- spectable authors.”’ As to opinions maintained by either ancient or modern authors, it would be endless to recount them. When we quit matters of fact and soar into the regions of fancy, we may spend years in repeating the idle visions of others, or in narrating the day- dreams of our own creation. In the former part of this essay, I have de- tailed at some length the effects of different degrees of temperature upon the animal body. It there appears that animals have the power of preserving their existence under a varied degree of temperature, which is proportioned according to the perfection of their organization ; and ifthe _ changes are gradual, the extent of their bearing such changes is greater. Man will exist many degrees below zero, up to 240 of Fahrenheit’s thermometer, though rapid changes much within that range will destroy him. Suchis his glassy essence, that it appears necessary to treat him as artists do that substance, viz. to anneal him,