Consumption curable : the manner in which nature and remedial art operate in effecting a healing process in cases of consumption, and by which the development of tubercles may be prevented / by Francis Hopkins Ramadge.

  • Ramadge, Francis Hopkins, 1793-1867.
Date:
[1839?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Consumption curable : the manner in which nature and remedial art operate in effecting a healing process in cases of consumption, and by which the development of tubercles may be prevented / by Francis Hopkins Ramadge. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

    18/52
    • SYMPTOMS OF CONSUMPTION. LOCAL AND SYMPATHETIC—PHVSICAL SIGNS OF THE DISEASE. It has long been acknowledged, that the symptoms on which practi- tioners generally rely in the incipient stage, as indicative of consump- tion, are extremely variable and uncertain. Its attack, indeed, is, in many instances, so deceitful, that before the patient is in the least aware of his danger, the case has become desperate. Again, it seldom happens that pain, or any other uneasy sensation, is felt in the part which is well known to be the primary seat of the disorder, although it results from tubercles, disseminated at first in the substance of the up- per part of one or both lungs. At other times, we see cases in which its progress is latent and altogether unheeded ; still, a slight cough is generally the first symptom, and this is attributed to some uneasiness in the throat, produced by a common cold. After a time the cough increases, and from being either hard or dry, is followed by the ex- pectoration of a little mucus often devoid of color, as in common ca- tarrh. This is succeeded by some degree of weight and slight pain felt in the chest, along with difficulty of breathing, general weakness, and an accelerated pulse, which seldom ranges below 90 ; during tho hot stage of the hectic fever, it is generally 120. A sense of chilli- ness along the course of the spine, commonly experienced towards noon, is the next symptom ; this is followed by an augmented tempe- rature of the body on the approach of evening, and finally by perspira- tions, which usually come on profusely after midnight, and greatly attenuate the body. When spitting of blood occurs with the fore- going symptoms, or when the matter expectorated begins to assume the appearance of pus, we have strong grounds to suspect the presence of pulmonary consumption. The occurrence of cough in any case, in which the general health has been impaired, ought to be regarded with no small suspicion. Cases are not wanting in which the disease mani- fests itself most irregularly. For instance, the usual characteristic symptoms are not uncommonly preceded, for a short time, either by mesenteric enlargement, aphthae, severe diarrhoea, amenorrhoea, or by an affection of the larynx, attended with a slight alteration of the voice. Though in the early stages there may be some doubt as to the exist- ence of phthisis, without the aid of physical signs, there can be how- ever little chance of mistake in the advanced stages. As soon as hectic fever is fully established, the wasting of the flesh becomes re- markable, and rapidly increases, if perspiration, diarrhcea, and expecto- ration have been abundant. To me, who have been for so many years