On the nature and treatment of tic douloureux sciatica, and other neuralgic disorders / by Henry Hunt.

Date:
1844
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the nature and treatment of tic douloureux sciatica, and other neuralgic disorders / by Henry Hunt. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

    48/202 (page 38)
    care of other medical men before I have seen them, one or more, if not all, of these remedies have been tried, and in many cases, they have evidently been injurious. Nor is it to he wondered at, when it is remembered that this condition of the stomach is one of weakness and irritability, and it has not the power of digesting these medicines, at least, not until some degree of strength has been given to it, and some of its irritability allayed. Although arsenic given in small doses will gene- rally be found to subdue that kind of morbid sensi- bility, which is accompanied by neuralgic pain in the cheek, yet it will occasionally fail. When this happens, arsenic appears to disagree immediately, producing an indescribable sensation of distress in the stomach, dryness in the fauces; white tongue, and other symptoms of gastritis; when these symp- toms are quickly produced, this medicine should be discontinued without delay. This observation may appear to be unnecessary, but I have been induced to make it, from knowing that, in spite of such warnings, the use of arsenic has been persevered in until very unpleasant, if not serious, effects have been produced; this has led to the condemnation of a remedy, very valuable, when used with judgment and discretion. In cases of this nature, the most appropriate plan of treatment is that which tends to allay, rather