Lectures on the causes and treatment of ulcers of the lower extremity : delivered at the London Hospital, during the summer of 1848 / by George Critchett.

Date:
1849
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Lectures on the causes and treatment of ulcers of the lower extremity : delivered at the London Hospital, during the summer of 1848 / by George Critchett. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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

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    affection. It would seem that when the veins become dilated beyond a certain point, the valves, upon which a healthy performance of their function so much depends, become incapable of acting; the circulation becomes thus permanently impeded. Under these circumstances, it becomes an interesting inquiry as to what cause Nature takes to remedy or to alleviate this state of things, and what are the various phases under which the varicose condition presents itself to our notice; and we may trace at least five different ways in which this varicose con- dition may be said to terminate. First: As in valvular disease of the heart, and other obstructions, so here hypertrophy of the coats of the veins sometimes takes place; thus further dilatation is prevented, the circulation is carried on nearly as well as before, and a statu quo condition is established, which may endure for many years without producing much pain or inconvenience. Secondly: This dilated condition of the veins some- times sets up chronic inflammation of the inner coat, with deposit of lymph, narrowing, or even entirely blocking up the calibre of the vessel; and thus, by diverting the current of blood into other channels, Nature establishes something like a radical cure of the disease. Thirdly: This varicose condition, instead of becoming
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