Practical observations on the use and abuse of tobacco : greatly enlarged from the original communication on the effects of tobacco smoking which appeared in Medical Times and Gazette, August 5, 1854, accompanied with cases, illustrated by coloured plates, the drawings after nature / by John Lizars.

  • John Lizars
Date:
1857
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Practical observations on the use and abuse of tobacco : greatly enlarged from the original communication on the effects of tobacco smoking which appeared in Medical Times and Gazette, August 5, 1854, accompanied with cases, illustrated by coloured plates, the drawings after nature / by John Lizars. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    named kisses. Tliere was a sulcus in the centre of the tongue, vvith a l)riglit red lino at the base, as represented in Plate I. fig. 1. The sore was washed with a solution of the chlorate of soda, before this sketch was tiikeu. His medical attendant, to induce him to give up smoking, informed liim, that the disease of his tongue would kill him, so that he at once *' threw away Tobacco for ever. From this time the disease progressively got worse. In May 1833, the patient, accompanied by his medic.il relation, visited London, and con- sulted Sir Astley Cooper, when the patient put the following question to Sir Astley — Had I come early enough, could I have been cured ? to which Sir Astley replied — Sir, there never was a time early enough to have warranted an operation: every fibre, every papilla of your tongue is diseased; and it would have been merciful to have clapt a pistol to your head, the instant the disease began. Sir Astley prescribed for him, but to no purpose, as the disease increased with a rapidity incon- ceivable; for by the end of June, the anterior portion had mouldered away (so graphically described by his medical attendant), as represented in Plate I. fig. 2; the tongue being previously cleansed by the chlorate of soda, in doing which the fcetor was intolerable. He now suflFered acute ]5ain, and was obliged to take morphia every night. His pulse was from 120 to 160. In July, his spirits began to be dreadfully depressed, accom- panied with pains in his head, and he at this time remained chiefly in bed. By the 24th, the ulceration had extended to the fauces, and the glands at the angle of the lower jaw bone became swollen. Deglutition was now difficult and painful, and his strength began to fail; but still no hsemor- rhage. By the middle of August, the tongue had mouldered away—the stump presenting an ii-regular lumpy surface, covered with a flocculent dirty greenish-white deposit, and the ulceration extending on the left side to the OS hyoides, accompanied with a most offensive discharge. There was a spasmodic difficulty in swallowing, a troublesome cough, with difficult expectoration, great mental depression, and hallucination of mind. On the 25th of this month, for the first time, an oozing of arterial blood took place, but not to any extent. His pulse was 130 and very weak—some aberration of mind. Cough very incessant during the night, and he appeared in great agony. In the beginning of September he became very weak, so that he was confined to bed, passing restless nights, with profuse perspirations. His mind much affected, breathing very difficult, with constant expectoration of viscid phlegm mixed with blood. When he attempted to swallow fluids, they were returned by the nostrils. The dressing the extensively ulcer- ated surface caused severe pain, and the foetor was excessively offensive. The sub-maxillary glands were now greatly enlarged. Pulse generally above 120,
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