Cancer : its nature and treatment, with observations on certain diseases peculiar to women / by John Pattison, M.D.

  • Pattison, John.
Date:
1863
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Cancer : its nature and treatment, with observations on certain diseases peculiar to women / by John Pattison, M.D. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    be apprised of the remaining resources of a miti- gating character; for instance, that by keeping the disease under control he might live for years without much inconvenience. And such a promise could be reahzed by using soothing lotions; and when a more healthy action partially restored the surface, the treatment might be continued, using blotting-paper or cambric, wetted with the hydrastis lotion when the edges become dry and hard. It has been recom- mended by Mr. to use the face powder, which would, by its colour, supersede the necessity for a bandage. It would, however, be very advisable to alternate the treatment, the ointment at one time and the fomentation at another, as the appearance of the ulcer might indicate. Besides which, all depressing agents should be avoided, and everything done to preserve the health; and extremes of heat or cold should also be carefully guarded against. Should the edges of the wound ulcerate, it would be still the safest practice to continue a soothing treatment, rather than to have recourse to caustics; for it should never be forgotten that wdiatever irritates a malignant growth accelerates its proneness to increase in size. And this is essential to be considered in the treatment of a non-malignant ulcer as of a truly malignant one,—that whilst a mild soothing applica- tion retards the development, caustics increase the morbid action ; and these considerations constitute the difference between the former and the present mode, as advocated in this work. For caustic invariably alters the surface of an ulcer,