Vicious circles in disease / by Jamieson B. Hurry.

  • Jamieson Boyd Hurry
Date:
1913
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Vicious circles in disease / by Jamieson B. Hurry. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    headache, jactitation, convulsions, coma) are apt to resemble those of inflammatory disorders, and \vere then liable to be imputed to a recrudescence of the original mischief, although really due to anaemia. Unwary practitioners were easily led astray. Cause and effect were confused, the venesection being repeated to remove the very symptoms it had produced. The Lancet of 1827 gives an illustrative case which may be briefly summarized : A man fell from a scaffold and fractured several ribs. On reaching St. Bartholomew’s Hospital early on a Friday morning he was bled 18 oz., and at noon 20 oz. more. The next day a further 18 oz. were taken, and on the following day 18 oz. at noon and 18 oz. in the evening. On Monday the pulse was small and jerking, but very compressible. This condition was regarded as “ indicative of inflammation and not resulting from loss of blood or haemorrhagic ir¬ ritation.” Accordingly bleeding was again ordered to the extent of 18 oz. The dresser in charge of the case, however, alarmed by the condition following the loss of a few ounces, desisted from drawing any more. Nevertheless, when about two hours later two surgeons saw the man in consultation, they ordered 20 oz. more to be drawn. After this the pulse became a mere flutter, death taking place a few hours later. 1 2 As Lauder Brunton says : “ Venesection . . . was carried to such an excess as to kill many patients who would have recovered perfectly had they been left alone.” - Uterine Disorders. A Circle has at times been created by unnecessary tinkering with the repro¬ ductive apparatus, especially in neurasthenic females suffering from some minor uterine ailment. The constant direction of her mind to the sexual organs 1 Vol. II., p. 94. Cf. also Copland, Dictionary of Practical Medicine, Vol. 1., p. 177. 2 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Vol. XXVI., p. 797.