On a new method of treating neuralgia by the direct application of opiates to the painful points / by Alexander Wood.

Date:
1855
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On a new method of treating neuralgia by the direct application of opiates to the painful points / by Alexander Wood. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    abated ; 25 drops of Battley’s solution were injected into the painful point. About an hour afterwards was seized with violent vomiting, with shivering and severe constitutional disturbance ; pain not abated. May 17.—Vomiting has ceased, but returns with every attempt to swallow, pain much worse, no sleep, tongue load- ed, bowels costive. Ordered to use ice freely, and to take a drop of Fleming’s tincture of aconite every third hour for four times. May 18.—Stomach much better, but the pain in the back is not abated. Ordered friction with the Tinctura saponis c. opio. May 19.—Pain which was easier during the day, became much more severe at night, and she took an opiate by the advice of a friend. Severe vomiting followed its use, and it liad no effect either in allaying the pain or in procuring sleep. I recommended her to persevere with the iron for some time, but have lost sight of her. Case V.—Mr , after much exposure to wet, con- sulted me on the 4th June 1854, on account of a severe attack of sciatica. I prescribed a smai’t dose of calomel and rhu- barb, to be followed by an antimonial mixture, and on the eveningof the following day, injected twenty drops of Battley’s sedative solution. Four hours afterwards he fell into a deep sleep, and wakened free from pain. Case VI.—Miss , set. about fifty, very stout, con- sulted me some years ago, about a uterine affection, ac- companied with severe lumbo-abdominal neuralgia. The pain she suffered was great, and the lameness it occasioned entirely precluded the possibility of walking. I directed at- tention, in the first instance, to the uterine symptoms, hop- ing that on their removal, the neuralgia would disappear spontaneously. In this, however, I was disappointed. Great benefit undoubtedly followed the relief of the internal dis- order, and the lameness diminished perceptibly; still the pain evinced little or no disposition to abate. On the 2d June 1854, I inserted thirty drops of Battley’s solution. Severe vomiting followed, and the pain was entirely diminished. From that date, I directed my attention chiefly to the con- stitutional treatment, until the increased severity of the pain drew my attention to it. I injected thirty drops of Battley on the left side on the 13th December 1854. December 14.—Pain on left side nearly gone ; that on right very bad. December 16—Repeat the injection on the right side. December 17.—Pain much relieved.
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