A manual of diseases of the throat and nose : including the pharynx, larynx, trachea, œsophagus, nose and naso-pharynx / by Morell Mackenzie.

Mackenzie, Morell, 1837-1892.

Date:: 1884

Credit: A manual of diseases of the throat and nose : including the pharynx, larynx, trachea, œsophagus, nose and naso-pharynx / by Morell Mackenzie. Source: Wellcome Collection.

39/610 (page 27)

$the giillet as it is met with in new-born children was studied with great zeal and ability by Billard/ who in 1828 published a number of very interesting cases of the affection, together with some important observations as to its etiology. In 1829 Mondiere^ who, like Bleu- laiid, had had an opportunity of observing the disorder in his own person, chose it as the subject of his inaugural thesis, and described the symptoms and course of the affection very accurately. He founded his pathologj’, however, entirely on Billard’s description of the ap- pearances in fatal cases occurring in new-born infants—cases which differ widely as to their etiology, nature, and course, and cannot be accepted as affording a satisfactory basis for the pathologj' of idio- pathic cesophagitis in adults. In 1831 Mondiered* returned to the sub- ject, treating it with fuller learning, but with no further novelty. In 1835 Graves'* made some remarks on ce.sophagitis in commenting on a case of the disease which he had been called upon to ti'eat. The subject has received additional illustration from Hamburger,'* Pailova,® and Laboulbene.*' 1 “ Maladies des Enfants nouveau-ni?s.” Paris, 1828. See also 3rd edition, 1837. - “ Sur ITnfiamination de TCEsophage.” Thfese de Paris, 1829. Mondifere afterwards studied diseases of the gullet in general with inueh assiduity, and collected a large ainonnt of material scattered through various writings. Although his laborious compilation shows more industry than discrimination, his essays are of vei-j' consiilerahle value even at the present day, for, in spite of his somewhat miwieldy erudition, he was a shrewd observer. His writings have been the source from which much of the literature of oesophageal disease has since been drawn. Thus in Velpeau's article (“ (Esophage ”—“ Diction- naire en Trente Volumes ”), in Follin’s essay (“Sur les Retrecissements de I’lEso- phage ”), in Copland’s Dictionary, and lastly in the highly creditable work of Knott on the “Pathology of the (Esophagus,” Dublin, 1878 (published whilst the author was still in statu jmpillari), we find the cases of Roche, Bourguet, Broussais, Paletta, and several others collected by Mondifere, constantly referred to, with vei-y few original illustrations of the disease. On the other hand, but scanty justice has been done to Billard, whose work in this field was the fruit of careful independent investigation. 3 “ Arch. Gen. de Med. 1831, t. x.w. p. 358. 1 “Clinical Lectures.’’ Dublin, 1848, vol. ii. p. 199. 2nd edition. Previously reporte<l in “ Lond. Med. and Surg. .Journ.” No. 172. •’> “Medicin. Jahrb.” Bd. .wiii. and xix. December 8 and 22, 1869. 1 “ -\nnali Universali di Medicina e Chiruigia.” Milano, Aprile, 1875, vol. ccxxxii. pp. 17— 7 “ Nouveaux EK'inents d'Anatomie Pathologique. Paris, 1879, p. 84. EtinlfKpj.—Thi.s affe(;tion is certaiiily very rare, Imt not so rare a.s the exceedingly la’ief (le.scri])tion, and freiiuent com- plete onii.s.sion of tlie .subject from the ordinary text-hooks of surgery and medicine, would lead tlie student to imagine. It is highly probable tliat the very in.sufhcient way in wliich the .subject 1ms been, handled is tin; cfiuse of the comjilaint often not being recognized, and 1 venture to hope tliat in future tlie true nature of .some ca.ses will he a])])i’eciated which niiglit otherwi.se havi; been overhioked. There are not .sufficient exanijdes on record to enable us to iirrive with any d(;gree of certainty at the cause of this affection in adults. Occasionally it appiuirs to originate in the pharynx and to spreiid downwiirds, and in soim^ epidemics$