On the nature, causes, statistics, and treatment of erysipelas / by Peter Hinckes Bird.

  • Peter Hinckes Bird
Date:
[1858?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the nature, causes, statistics, and treatment of erysipelas / by Peter Hinckes Bird. 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.

    59/60 page 59
    administration of the perchloride. The erysipelas which is still more atonic, and which supervenes in the course of serious diseases around punctures, abrasions, or lacerations of the skin, at other times even without appreciable causes, are amenable to the perchloride of iron. Lastly, the cases which, even when they show themselves in strong and robust subjects, after having been reduced by various and appropriate treatment, still linger on, and pass from one part to another, throwing out unexpectedly its eruptions in places where the disease appeared to have long been extinguished—such cases are often terminated in twenty-four hours by the perchloride of iron. Another point connected with this subject is the propriety of administering the perchloride of iron as a prophylactic. “ There are certain epochs and years,” says M. Mathey, “ when cases of erysipelas of traumatic origin are multiplied to infinity, and show themselves in such great number, that the disease is truly epidemic. The applica- tion of a seton, a moxa, or a blister, is followed by an erysipelatous inflammation; and, a fortiori^ the great wounds united by sutures and bandages of diachylon are almost infallibly attacked with the disease. The surgeon who operates under these circumstances is pretty sure to see erysipelas among his patients. It would, perhaps, he proper to postpone the operation; but sometimes the case is urgent, and the surgeon would think himself fortunate, and could act with more confidence, if he could hope to put his patient beyond the reach of a troublesome complication. Might we not, for the first few days which follow a delicate operation, and during which inflammation is to be feared, add to soothing beverages some drops of perchloride of iron, because it is fully established that its use in moderate doses is not followed by any had effect?”—Bulletin General Therap. ; July, 1857. British and Foreign Medical Review. It may be here mentioned that a new remedy has lately been announced by M. Ozanam, at a recent sitting of the Academy of Sciences at Paris: this is the camomile (anthemis nobilis), which possesses, it is said, the virtue of preventing suppuration when the local disease is not too far advanced, and of gradually stopping it when it has existed for a long time. For this purpose it is administered in powerful doses of four, eight, and even twenty-four scruples of the flower in a pint and a half of water; the infusion to be drunk in the course of the day, and to be continued until the cure is effected. Compresses, moistened with tlie infusion, may be locally applied; they aid the cure, but are not necessary—the infusion alone, taken inter- nally, being quite sufficient. Among other cases is quoted one of a man, aged thirty-three, labouring under phlegmonous erysipelas of the face and head, with five enormous tumours; the skin was separated from the skull by a vast quantity of pus ; a sixth tumour was beino-
    No text description is available for this image
    No text description is available for this image
    No text description is available for this image