Observations on the nature of malignant cholera, with a view to establish correct principles of its prevention and treatment: drawn up at the request of the Westminster Medical Society / [Alexander Philips Wilson Philip].

  • Alexander Wilson Philip
Date:
1832
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations on the nature of malignant cholera, with a view to establish correct principles of its prevention and treatment: drawn up at the request of the Westminster Medical Society / [Alexander Philips Wilson Philip]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    INTRODUCTION. THE Westminster Medical Society having* done me the honour to request me to state my opinion respecting* the nature of the Malignant Cholera, the following observations were drawn up, and read at a meeting of the Society on the. i7th inst. As some have supposed that their farther publica¬ tion may at this time be of service, they are here, with some additions, addressed more generally to the members of our profession. When we are altogether ignorant of the nature of a disease, our practice necessarily rests on the simple principle of what has formerly been found useful, or on our general knowledge of the laws of the animal economy. It is not till we have' become acquainted with its nature, that our endeavours can be directed to restore the due functions of the organs pri¬ marily affected, on which the affection of all the rest de¬ pends: and when in any particular disease we have, after the lapse of a considerable time, gained this knowledge, we often perceive that many parts of our plans of treatment have been superfluous, and others, although affording tem¬ porary relief, on the whole injurious ; while on the other hand, some well adapted to the disease, and occasionally employed in it, have been allowed to fall into neglect, for want of a knowledge of the principle on which they ope¬ rated. The treatment it is evident, under such circumstances, must always be wavering and inefficacious. Such, and perhaps in a great degree for the reasons here pointed out is at present that of the malignant cholera. It has been lately introduced, or at least known as a dis tinct disease, and the attempts which have been made to
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