Volume 1

A manual of pathological anatomy / By Carl Rokitansky.

  • Rokitansky, Karl, Freiherr von, 1804-1878.
Date:
1849-1854 [v. 1, 1854]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A manual of pathological anatomy / By Carl Rokitansky. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    26/474 (page 6)
    v. The existence of purely local—independent of general— disease, from the simplest inflammation—from blennorrhea, to tubercle and cancer, we look upon as grounded— (a.) In the self-vitality of organs, and their independent re- lations to the external world. (b.) In the local influence of direct or reflected stimulation. Either directly, or through the medium of the nervous system, stimuli effect a local modification in the vital processes of absorption and secretion—in the interchange of matter,—an- anomalous reciprocity between blood-vessels and their contents on the one side, and the parenchyma-engendering products, abnormal both in quantity and in kind, on the other. Normal nutrition and secretion are no doubt mainly de- pendent upon a normal crasis ; but they are also based upon the perfection of the specific vital action proper to individual parenchymata. Anomalous secretions often arise out of in- fluences which modify the vital action of the parenchyma, and consequently its reciprocity with the unchanged gross material, the blood: as, for example, augmented or otherwise altered secretion of milk, produced by local irritation or by anomalous innervation, the effect of mental operations. In like manner, local diseases are but a consequence of qualitative and quanti- tative alienation of the textures and organs,—the formative material (the blood), notwithstanding its reciprocity with the latter, not becoming sensibly contaminated. Influences, especially of a mechanical kind, are often so strictly local, that it would be far-fetched to derive all local disorder from a general causal disease. Even the latter would be but secondary,—a mere transfer of the alienation locally produced. The existence of local diseases is further shown — (c.) By direct evidence, where local disease is established, of the absence of any disease of the blood crasis. (d.) In the curableness by topical remedies—extirpation, isolation, &c.— of local diseases, without their recurrence either on the same spot or elsewhere. The cure may even involve the simultaneous removal of a general disease con- sequent upon the local one, this having possibly acted as an anomalous instrument for the elimination of certain elements from the blood, exhausting it of certain essential constituents.