Substance of a clinical lecture on a case of hydrophobia, delivered at the Charing Cross Hospital ... to which are appended the particulars of another case / [Thomas Joseph Pettigrew].

  • Pettigrew, Thomas Joseph, 1791-1865
Date:
1834
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Substance of a clinical lecture on a case of hydrophobia, delivered at the Charing Cross Hospital ... to which are appended the particulars of another case / [Thomas Joseph Pettigrew]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    29/36 (page 29)
    CASE OF THOMAS PORTER. [Extracted from the Case Book of the Hospital.] “ THOMAS PORTER, Mt. 47. Residing at No. 10, Denzell Street, St. Clements. Admitted into the Hospital under the care of Dr. Golding, October 21st. 1834, he having applied for relief as an Out-patient to Dr. Chowne this day at two o’clock. He states that about five weeks since he was bitten by a strange cat in four or five places on the left hand whilst endeavouring to turn it out of the English Opera House. <f He thought nothing serious of it at the time but applied some spirits and some salt to the wounds. The hand becoming painful and swollen, he went to a medical man who applied some simple dressing to the parts, and told him it would do well. The hand continued uneasy and from that time has never been free from pain. In a fortnight the wounds healed. On Saturday the 18th whilst at the English Opera House, w here he sold fruit, &c. he felt uneasy, went home, and passed a restless night. In the morning (19tli) he arose, eat and drank his breakfast pretty well 3 between twyelve and one, he attempted to drink some Ginger beer but found great difficulty in so doing, was obliged to make many gulps in order to swallow it 5 he afterw ards took his tea, went to bed early, where his sleep w'as disturbed, rose about nine, (20th) took his meals that day, but had very little appetite. “ (21st) At breakfast this morning, found he could not put the cup to his mouth 3 after a few hours, came to the Hospital, complained of numbness in the fingers and a rheumatic kind of pain extending from the bites he shewed on the left hand made by the cat up the arm to the axilla; thought it to be rheumatism, to which he was subject, had some difficulty in speaking, and seemed short of breath 3 said he could not swallow very well. He was requested to drink a glass of water 3 he readily took it, but immediately before it touched his lips a spasm of the muscles of the throat took place—he averted his face, essayed to do it once or twice but failed and immediately put down the glass. Water being poured from one vessel to another produced these spasms though not so violently—