Volume 1

Handbook of general therapeutics.

Date:
1885-7
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Handbook of general therapeutics. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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

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    the left apex, moderate duliiess, -weakened breathing, and vocal fremitus, Avith slight accentuation of the second sound at the pulmonary orifice. During the treatment several purely 113'sterical attacks occurred. The great Aveak- uess in the legs and increased tendon reflex improved greatly under the use of strychnia. After si.x weeks’ residence in the institute she Avas so much better as to be able to dance; her Aveight had increased 3-o kilo.s. and the rales had disappeared from the lungs, but the enigmatical elevation of the evening temperature to 38° K. remained.^ I have described in detail a case of bronchitis in a scrofulous boy Avith clusters of large glands in his neck, conjunctivitis, and constant diarrhoea. 'W'ithin tAvo months he A\’as completely- cured and gained 2'o kilos. Of six cases of pleurisy five Avere improved. The .si.xth, in Avhich there AA-as a large effusion of several years’ standing, remained in the same state, and Avas advised to undergo surgical treatment. The most brilliant results Avere achieved in many ca.ses of gastric and intestinal catarrh, the increase in weight reaching 5 to 7 kilos. Especially Avorthy of notice Avas one of chronic diarrhoea, which persisted after an attack of epidemic dysentery. For four years the patient had tried different modes of treatment, but the slightest indiscretion in diet invariably brought on the diarrhoea. Six Aveeks after the commencement of the koumiss cure he had gained 4 kilos., and could take any kind of food with impunity. I liaA’e published another case in which a se\'ere gastric catarrh, AA-ith morning sick- ne.ss and complete loss of appetite, enlargement of the liver without ascites, considerable emaciation, constant inability to sleep, and premature sclerosis of the arteries existed in consequence of chronic alcoholism. While under treatment the patient took no wine, sleep and appetite returned, and he gained 2 kilos, in one month. Of two cases of chronic cystitis one was dependent on a gonorrhoea which Avas at first increased by the koumiss, but later disappeared. The second case had been very much neglected and had existed for OA*er two years ; it remained unimproved. Antemic subjects formed the last category, and in these I endeavoured to ascertain so far as possible the original cause in each case. In three it w-as clearly a malarial infection, and quinine was gh-en along with the koumiss ; but the repugnance of the patient to koumiss during the paroxysms presented a difficulty in the treatment. In one case the anosmia was the consequence of profuse epi'staxis, the patient was greatly exhausted and suffered also from chorea. Fearing a return of the epistaxis, we began the treatment with only half a glass, and at the end of four AA-eeks only tAvo bottles were reached, but the result was brilliant. The patient improA'ed visibly and gained 3 kilos, in Aveight. The seA-ere neurotic symptoms also disappeared completely; but the most astonishing results were attained in ca.ses of anaemia dependent on disturbances of general nutrition. The appe- ' [There must be a mistake here. .38° R. = 117° F., Avhich is impossible. He doubtless means 33° R. = 106° F., which AA-as her temperature before.—Traxs- LATOR.]