Uric acid in the clinic : a clinical appendix to "Uric acid as a factor in the causation of disease" / by Alexander Haig, assisted by Kenneth G. Haig.
- Date:
- 1910
Licence: In copyright
Credit: Uric acid in the clinic : a clinical appendix to "Uric acid as a factor in the causation of disease" / by Alexander Haig, assisted by Kenneth G. Haig. 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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![has to rub. {Collamic neuralgia and neuritis.) Has been to Homburg several times, but no definite good. Present diet includes meat three times, and bacon once, fish once, soup once, egg once, tea or coiiee twice, wine or whisky twice. Swedish exercises and massage did some good. I advised a gradual change of diet, leaving out poisons slowly and putting in foods. A year later she had made a feeble attempt at it, but then went to Homburg as usual, and had to give up diet. Results, of course, arthritic pains increasing. Case 16.-A. C, female, aged 48. Complains of rheumatic gout. Fingers of right hand are worst and are nodular. Is fond of playing piano and is becoming unable to do it. Has also general rheumatic pains about the body, worse with every change of weather. These pains are worse in summer than in winter; there is also some numbness in the tips of the fingers. Her mother has rheumatic pains, and one sister has joint pains. Has had influenza slightly. She has pressure and tight feeling in the head, which is worse at her monthly period {plus collcemia). Worries much over things. Pulse 88. Apex beat is slightly to left of left mid-clavicular line and there is a late systolic blowing murmur there {coUcBinic dilatation). Has sinking feelings in epigastrium, empty dyspepsia {collcemic dyspepsia). Bowels only act with Carlsbad salts. Menstruation is becoming irregular. Rheumatism gets worse as it passes off (i.e., rise of acidity after, or putting an end to the collcemia of later days of menstruatimi). Urine sp. gr. 1023, cloud of albumin, no sugar. Microscope shows that it is only leucorrhoea. Present diet meat or fish twice, egg once, tea twice a day. Fruit causes acidity and increases pains, and any acid has the same effect. I ordered the usual gradual change of diet, and a month later she was better as to the feelings of pressure in the head, but the joints were rather worse, as the weather was getting warmer. There is no numbness in the fingers now. Pulse 72, so circulation is better. I told her to go on, and if her joints got any worse I would give her some drugs for a time. Four months later I heard of her from a neighbour who came as a patient; she was said to be much better, active and nearly free from joint troubles. Case 17.—E. N., female, aged 31. Complains of rheumatoid arthritis, worse in cold and damp weather. The left knee is the worst joint just now. Has it in the neck and it prevents movement of the head. Has headaches very bad before the monthly period, last only two or three hours. Anaemia for years. Had quinsy before the arthritis. Was married at nineteen and has no family. Headaches diminished as rheumatism increased. Skin of face puffy, eyes rather prominent. B.D. '75; pulse 84; C.R. 8; B.P. ]45; first sound long, second sound decidedly loud {i.e., collcemic heart). Fingers slight rheumatoid changes. Has chronic dyspepsia with much flatulence. Thyroid is slightly enlarged. Bowels act only with pills. Is in bed three days at each monthly period and loses a great deal. A gynaecologist gave ergot, but no permanent effect. Here is some menorrhagia due to high B.P. and secondary con- gestion of pelvic organs ; possibly in such congestion and the pro- duction of fibroids and fibrosis we see some of the ways in which a meat diet produces steriHty. Urine normal. The left knee is enlarged, especially on the inner side, and somewhat tender. Can only go upstairs one foot at a time. Weight 10 st., steady. Present diet of four meals includes meat twice, fish twice, soup once, bacon and egg once, tea twice, whisky twice a day. She was given extra hot water but did not get on well with it. I tried aspirin, but it did no good ; there was too much debility and anaemia for it to act well. Salicylates do best in the strong and well-nourished with high acidity {e.g., acute rheumatism). In these cases you must first cure anaemia and debility, then use aspirin, and then U.A.P. diet to keep clear. Other methods are](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21994109_0257.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
