Contributions to vital statistics, obtained by means of a pneumatic apparatus for valuing the respiratory powers with relation to health / [John Hutchinson].

  • John Hutchinson
Date:
[1844?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Contributions to vital statistics, obtained by means of a pneumatic apparatus for valuing the respiratory powers with relation to health / [John Hutchinson]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    the arched door of the chest (the diaphragm). It is attempted to illus¬ trate this by Fig. 7 ; C is the space allotted to the organs of respiration; the black outline is to represent the chest filled to its maximum with air after the deepest inspiration ; the black line E may be considered as the floor or diaphragm; the inner and red line is to represent the chest after a forced and full expiration has been made, when, it will be observed, the arch of the diaphragm E is considerably increased, and the red line G is considerably depressed. Thus we may liken the act of respiration to the operation of a pair of common bellows ; it follows, that the space existing between the red and black line, marked B B, is measured by the spirometer; hence it is certain that whatsoever disease impedes this mobility of the walls and floor of the chest, the amount of impediment will be manifested by this machine; moreover, it is self-evident, that as the lungs are the sole receptacle for the air we breathe, whatever disease there may be which affects their permeability for air, it will be manifested by the spirometer j and I believe that no disease can be de¬ tected in Ithe chest that will not be found attended by a change in the bulk of air in the lungs. If this be granted, how important is it to examine the capacity, as an adjunct to the other means of detecting disease amidst these vital organs. I will now draw attention to the observations I have made upon dis¬ eased cases, which confirm me in this last assertion. On Diag. 1, I compare the diseased with, the healthy cases. The upper line is the same as already noticed, to which is affixed the word “ good V the lower line contains the diseased cases. The difference between the two classes is very marked, and must forcibly impress us that this method of detection is highly worthy of attention. I am sorry that the number of diseased cases is so small, but this even speaks more favourably for the distinction between the healthy and dis¬ eased cases; for had there been more cases, the curved line would have been much less curved. Whereas, with few cases, one disturbing obser¬ vation is clearly seen. We here see that the mean capacity of the dis¬ eased scarcely exceeds one half of that of the healthy, if it be so much. The full particulars of the diseased cases have been taken down in the table of observations ; amongst which there will be seen 20 cases of consumption in various stages. There are 12 cases in the earliest stage of this disease. I shall here give the capacity of these as observed, com¬ pared with the mean of the healthy cases of the same stature. Table Q. Early Stage of Consumption. Capacity of Diseased Cubic Inches. 113 . 105 . 128 . 100 . 100 . 136 . 115 . 130 . 120 . 140 . 110 . 135 . Capacity of Healthy. Cubic Inches. . . 220 . . 173 . . 220 . . 193 . . 204 . . 229 . . 173 . . 204 . . 229 . . 246 . . 220 . . 204
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