Practical observations on the venereal disease, and on the use of mercury / By Abraham Colles.

  • Colles, Abraham, 1773-1843.
Date:
1837
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Practical observations on the venereal disease, and on the use of mercury / By Abraham Colles. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    218/226 (page 206)
    ¥ r) 206 COLLES ON THE VENEREAL. effects of inflammation in its investing membranes, and a suitable treatment be hereby indicated ; but I fear that, in a vast majority of cases, no such connection can be ascertained as that between cause and effect; and that we must remain contented to pursue a mode of practice, which, though it be empirical, inasmuch as it rests on no just reasoning, is yet sanctioned by analogy, and forti- fied by experience. . I shall not trouble the reader with any detailed account of the benefits derived from mercury, in cases where derangements of the stomach are dependent on organic diseases of that, or of some neighbouring viscus. . The following case of gastrodynia, which was one of the most severe I had ever witnessed, shows the great benefits to be derived from the use of this medicine, in a case where the most strict and repeated examination could not detect any organic affection of any of the abdominal viscera. The subject of it was a farmer, et. a4, in rather comfortable circumstances, of full habit and florid coun- tenance, with every appearance of perfect health. He was reccived into the hospital on the 24th of September, 1836: he stated, that he was aman of temperate habits, but, from his occupation, was much exposed to wet and cold. This disease commenced about for dinner, he was attacked on the following morning with a peculiar squeezing pain in the stomach, as if (to use his own words) the stomach was squeezed between two rollers; this pain gradually increased for an hour, when it at length became almost intolerable ; he then vomited, and threw up sometimes a greenish thin fluid, of very acid taste; at other times, a whitish fluid, like fluid vomited, did not depend upon any particular kind of food. After the vomiting, he felt quite relieved and perfectly well. As the disease advanced, he found that salted meats and eggs pro- duced the same effects; and that the pain came on much earlier after the meal: at this time he remarked, that change of air agreed with him, and that wet and cold greatly aggravated his sufferings. He next found that when the pain seized him, he was not able, by a natural effort, to discharge his stomach; and with the view of relieving himself from the pain, he would then excite vomiting by thrusting his finger far down into his throat: this expedient after some time failed him, so that he could not, even by this means, provoke vomiting. He now discovered that he could still excite this act, if he first drank large quantities of boiled milk, so as to over-distend the stomach, and then introduce the finger in the manner before mentioned. The milk thrown up was completely changed into a curd. He says, that the quantity of milk he used on these occasions generally amounted to two gallons; and this he always had boiled before he used it. Within the last two years the pain has increased greatly in severity, and comes on after any kind of food; but he thinks it more severe after eating vegetables or eggs. Pressure on the stomach procures some slight mitigation