Reflections on fever : and particularly on the inflammatory character of fever / by Lyman Spalding, M.D.

  • Lyman Spalding
Date:
1817 [i.e. 1818]
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Reflections on fever : and particularly on the inflammatory character of fever / by Lyman Spalding, M.D. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    siderasthe proximate cause of the sense of lassitude, in the commencement of the inflammatory character of lever. We are supported in this opinion. 1. From a knowledge that the life of the muscular fibre is liable to a very great diminution. 2. That this diminution will produce lassitude. 3. That no other circumstance occurs at the com- mencement of the inflammatory character of fever which could cause lassitude ; since neither the nervous nor circulating system is primarily affected. 4. That this diminution of the life of the muscular fibres may be caused by cold; and cold generally precedes every attack of the inflammatory character of fever. We will now consider the second symptom of the first suit, viz :— 2. Inactivity. inactivity is sluggishness, unwillingness to move, which is always the case when a person is tired or fa- tigued. It is so perfectly plain, that this symptom is also seated in the fibrous structure of the muscular system^ that it is unnecessary to make any examination. The proximate cause of inactivity is the same as that of lassitude, a very great diminution of the life of the muscular fibres. II. The second suit of symptoms, [1] succeeded by vertigo, [2] rigors, [3] and pains over the whole body, but more particidarly in the head and back, consists of three distinct symptoms. 1. Succeeded by vertigo. Vertigo, Motherby says, is (swimming of the head,) in which the head seems to turn, or at least all things about the patient seem to do so. The brain is the seat of sensation, and the nerves and blood vessels the media by which impressions are made on the brain itself. Jt is not very probable that vertigo arises from the nerves ; we will therefore ex- amine what changes of circulation in the brain can pro- duce it. It is well known that the suddenly taking off a distention from the brain will often produce vertigo ; as raising up the head suddenly after having held it
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