Treatment of the Cholera in the Royal Hospital, Haslar during the months of July and August, 1849 E-Book

John Wilson

• Herausgeber: Booksell-Verlag
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Beschreibung

In "Treatment of the Cholera in the Royal Hospital, Haslar during the months of July and August, 1849," John Wilson offers a meticulous account of the medical practices employed in a pivotal but tumultuous time for public health. Written in an accessible yet scholarly style, Wilson'Äôs work weaves together firsthand observations, clinical practices, and empirical data that depict the grave realities faced by both patients and healthcare providers during the cholera epidemic that swept through England. This document not only serves as a crucial primary source for historical epidemiology but also reflects the evolving medical theories and strategies of the late 19th century, illuminating the intersection of science and humanity in the face of crisis. John Wilson, a prominent physician at Haslar Royal Naval Hospital, was deeply influenced by the social and scientific milieu of his time. His commitment to understanding and combating cholera stems from both a moral imperative and an intellectual pursuit, as medical professionals grappled with new theories of contagion and treatment amidst a backdrop of public fear and uncertainty. Wilson'Äôs background in naval medicine provided him unique insights into the challenges of treating infectious diseases within a constrained environment, enriching his contributions to medical literature. I highly recommend Wilson's work to scholars, medical historians, and health practitioners alike as it not only chronicles a historical medical crisis but also underscores the resilience of human spirit in medical practice. This account invites readers to reflect on the lessons from the past, particularly in our ongoing battles with epidemics, making it a poignant read for anyone interested in the evolution of public health.

Leseprobe

John Wilson

Treatment of the Cholera in the Royal Hospital, Haslar during the months of July and August, 1849

Published by Good Press, 2022

[email protected]

EAN 4066338112361

Table of Contents

TREATMENT OF CHOLERA.

THE NAME OF THE DISEASE.

CAUSE OF THE DISEASE.

POSTSCRIPT.

BY

JOHN WILSON, M.D., F.R.S.,

INSPECTOR OF NAVAL HOSPITALS AND FLEETS.

SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, AND CO., LONDON;LEGG, GOSPORT.

1849.

TREATMENT OF CHOLERA.

Table of Contents

On admission the patient was immediately placed in a hot bath, from 104° to 112° of Fahrenheit, in relation to the reduction of circulatory power, and of superficial heat; diligent friction of the abdomen and extremities, according to the place and violence of the spasms, being at the same time practiced. The measure seldom failed, except in cases of extreme collapse, to excite some warmth, abate cramps, and lessen suffering, at least, for a time.

While in the bath, or as soon as carried from it, a drachm of tincture of opium, in aromatic water, was administered. If, as almost invariably happened, the draught was instantly rejected, the proper practice of the hospital was forthwith commenced and steadily pursued. It consisted of the following means:—

Two grains of calomel, in bolus, every hour, or every half hour.

Half a drachm of oil of turpentine, in two ounces of mucilage, repeated every hour, or every second hour; most frequently the last. In one instance it was given every half hour.

An enema, consisting of two ounces of oil of turpentine, two drachms of tincture of opium, three ounces of mucilage, and three ounces of camphor mixture, repeated according to circumstances.

Friction applied to cramped parts assiduously, and as forcibly as could be borne, with turpentine and olive oil.

Such, in brief, was the treatment adopted and relied on, though various auxiliaries were, from time to time, and in different cases, employed.

Occasionally, but chiefly when the patient represented the vomited fluid as being sour, a solution of carbonate of soda in water was substituted for plain water, as a portion of drink. Sinapisms were sometimes applied; aromatics were now and then, though seldom, prescribed; and in two cases, where with moderately firm pulse, spasms were universal and excessively severe, blood was taken from the arm. Pans with hot water were often applied to various parts of the body, but could seldom be long borne, or kept in place, from spasms or other causes of restlessness in the patient.

One remarkable and gratifying effect of the turpentine draughts consisted in what may be called their acceptability to the stomach. While aromatic and cordial mixtures were instantly rejected, they were generally retained for considerable periods. The turpentine injection had similar effects on the intestines, allaying irritation and checking discharges. With few exceptions they arrested the flux for a time, in most instances for a considerable time. So powerful, in fact, was their restraining power, that they did not require to be often repeated. Their controlling influence was unquestionably great.

Many years ago, while serving in the West Indies, and often looking anxiously but in vain, for the constitutional effects of mercury in the precipitous fever of that region, the writer was led to inquire whether some accessory agent might not be found to accelerate and determine the action of the mineral; and turpentine, from its penetrating properties, rapidly entering the circulation, exciting the capillaries, and stimulating the kidnies, presented itself as probably possessing the desired qualities. It was tried, and did not altogether disappoint expectation. It was thought afterwards that it did not only precipitate mercurial action, but increased its remedial power. A paper on the subject was printed in the “London Medical and Physical Journal,” especially in reference to the treatment of neuralgic affections, in 1830.

Calomel in some shape, in various quantities, after various intervals, alone or combined, has long been the most popular remedy for cholera; and, from the concurrent testimony of many witnesses, it has properly gained its reputation. The practitioner has not always, perhaps, considered very carefully the grounds on which he prescribed, nor the channel through which he expected its remedial agency, being satisfied with the result. It is certain, however, that the result from it—as from other things—has been too often the reverse of satisfactory. It is equally certain, that if an auxiliary accelerating agent is a desideratum in the precipitous fevers of the West Indies, it is much more so in dealing with the yet more precipitous disease under consideration. Looking at the matter in this light; believing that calomel, as it is commonly administered, in the worst and most suddenly fatal cases of cholera, seldom passes beyond the stomach; and being satisfied that to act as a remedy it must enter the circulation, and reach secreting extremities, the method of treatment specified above was adopted.