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.

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    so some was poured upon his hands, this caused a horror, shuddering, and more spasms. Admitted as an In-patient about half-past two o’clock. With much convulsive effort he washed his face and hands, a puff of air upon the back of his neck caused a renewal pf the spasms, but still more violently if blown, however gently, upon the face ; any attempt to take a pinch of snuff, to which he was accus- tomed and for which he was anxious, produced the same effect. Any thing cold applied to the neck caused it, but not so violently— a looking glass did not affect him. He manifested extreme sensi¬ tiveness to cold, even the moving of the bed clothes increased it. Bowels not moved to day, but had been freely acted upon yesterday by some medicine taken of his own accord. Pulse frequently vary¬ ing from 70 to 90 and rather feeble. Tongue palish and slightly furred. Urine high-coloured, sparing, and no sediment. He has had but little thirst, no head ache, no fever, and does not feel con¬ stitutionally ill. Mustard cataplasm applied to the pit of the sto¬ mach and a | of a grain of strychnia directed to be given every third hour. A consultation of the Medical Officers summoned for eight o’clock in the evening. Poultice taken off in half an hour and dressed with ung. sabinae. Took the strychnia in the form of a pill pretty well and a piece of sponge cake after it ; has with difficulty taken some rice and milk in the form of pulp—has a great dread when water is mentioned and can scarcely speak, the spasms interfering. He has boldly dashed two or three fingers into water and rapidly drawn them through his mouth, and this he has repeat¬ ed twice or thrice, but it is evidently a very disagreeable effort to him. At eight, P. M. a consultation of all the Medical and Surgical Officers was held agreeably to the summons for that hour, when it was determined to proceed with the strychnia, to apply a mustard poultice along the course of the spine; and an enema of infusion of tobacco during the night should the symptoms increase. At ten P. M. he took his third pill, and ate some apple for which he had asked—he continued much in the same state till one A. M when lie took another pill and some cake—from this time he continued getting worse. He fancied the cake came back and stuck in his throat He coughed and spat forcibly, tried to bring it up, violent paroxyms followed, one immediately after the other ; the mouth was thrown open, the eyes staring, the chin elevated, the head thrown back, and an expression of extreme anxiety and terror was depicted in his countenance. He remarked ‘ this complaint is something more than cold and rheumatism, I have had rheumatism before on board a ski]).’ Bowels were now moved. At four A. M. he took another pill (the 5th) ; from this time his symptoms became worse and the paroxysms more urgent. He gnashed his teeth, grasped the bed clothes over his knees, he being in a sitting posture—his words were articulated with difficulty and with spasmodic efforts, and he seemed in a much worse state than lie had been at any pre¬ vious time. His urine came away involuntarily, the skin was