Zoonomia/II.II.I.II
ORDO I.
Increased Sensation.
GENUS II.
With the Production of new Vessels by internal Membranes or Glands, with Fever.
In the first class of diseases two kinds of fevers were described, one from excess, and the other from defect of irritation; and were in consequence termed irritative, and inirritative fevers. In this second class of diseases another kind of fever occurs, which is caused by excess of sensation, and termed in consequence Sensitive Fever. But there is no fever from defect of sensation, because the circulation is carried on in health without our consciousness, that is, without any sensation attending it.
But as excess of sensation may exist with excess or defect of irritation, two other kinds of fever arise from a combination of sensitive fever with the irritative, and inirritative ones. Making five kinds in all.
1. Irritative fever, described in Class I. 1. 1. 1.
2. Inirritative fever. Class I. 2. 1. 1.
3. Sensitive fever. Class II. 1. 6. 1.
4. Sensitive irritated fever. Class II. 1. 2. 1.
5. Sensitive inirritated fever. Class II. 1. 3. 1.
As the sensitive irritated fever attends all the diseases enumerated under the genus about to be described, it is placed at the head of it. And as the sensitive inirritated fever accompanies the greatest number of the species enumerated under the third genus of this order, it is placed at the head of them. And as the sensitive fever attends the diseases of the sixth genus, it is placed at the head of them. But as every febrile paroxysm consists of disordered tribes or trains of associated motions, it may be doubted, whether they ought not all to have been placed in the fourth class, amongst the diseases of association. See Class IV. 2. 4. 11.
All the subsequent species of this genus are attended with sensitive irritated fever; there are nevertheless some superficial inflammations, which affect the same situations without much fever, as the scrophulous ophthalmy and spurious peripneumony, which belong to other genera.
Inflammation is uniformly attended with the production or secretion of new fibres constituting new vessels; this therefore may be esteemed its essential character, or the criterion of its existence. The extension of the old vessels seems rather a consequence than a cause of the germination, or pullulation, of these new ones; for the old vessels may be enlarged, and excited with unusual energy, without any production of new ones, as in the blush of shame or of anger.
When these new vessels are formed, if they are not reabsorbed into the circulation, they secrete a new fluid called purulent matter; which generally opens itself a passage on the external skin, and produces an ulcer, which either gradually heals, or spreads, and is the cause of hectic fever; or they secrete contagious matter, which has the property of exciting the same kind of inflammation, and of producing the same kind of contagious matter, when inserted by inoculation into the skin of other persons. These contagious matters form ulcers, which either heal spontaneously, or by art; or continue to spread, and destroy the patient, by other kinds of hectic fever.
In this genus there is an increase of the sensorial power of irritation as well as of sensation; whence great arterial energy is produced, and the pulse becomes strong and full, as well as quick; and the coats of the arteries feel hard under the finger, being themselves thickened and distended by inflammation. The blood drawn, especially at the second bleeding, is covered with a tough size; which is probably the mucus from the inflamed internal surface of the arteries, increased in quantity, and more coagulable than in its natural state; the thinner part being more perfectly absorbed by the increased action of the inflamed absorbents. See Sect. XXXIII. 2. 2. This is rendered more probable, because the hard feel of the pulse, and the abundance of coagulable lymph commence, exist, and cease together.
Great heat is produced from the new chemical combinations arising in the secretion of new fibres, and great pain from the distention of old ones, or from their increased action. The increased quantity of sensation from a topical inflammation or phlegmon is the immediate cause of the febris sensitiva irritata, or inflammatory fever; as when it arises from the pain of pleurisy, or paronychia; but generally an irritative fever precedes this topical inflammation, which occurs during the hot fit of it; and then the irritative fever is changed into a sensitive irritated fever, by the additional cause of the sensorial power of sensation besides that of irritation.
SPECIES.
1. Febris sensitiva irritata. Sensitive irritated fever, or inflammatory fever. Phlegmasia. A strong full pulse, with inflammation of the coats of the arteries, constitutes this disease. It originates from some topical inflammation, which, if the fever is not subdued, terminates in suppuration; and differs from irritative fever in respect to the painful sensation which accompanies it. For as pleasurable sensation is the cause of the growth of the new vessels, and distention of the old ones, in the natural enlargement of the body during our infancy; so a painful sensation is the cause of the unnatural production of new vessels, and enlargement of old ones in inflammatory diseases.
When matter is thus formed in any internal viscus, or in the cellular membrane, as in the lungs or liver; so long as this abscess remains without admission of air, this inflammatory fever is liable to continue, receiving only temporary relief by bleeding or emetics, or cathartics; till the patient, after a month, or two, or three, expires. But, if air be admitted to these internal abscesses, this kind of fever is changed into a hectic fever in a single day. It also sometimes happens, that when the abscess remains unopened to the air, if the matter has become putrid, that hectic fever supervenes, with colliquative sweats, or diarrhœa; the matter in both cases is sometimes absorbed, and the sides of the abscess grow together again without an external aperture. See Class II. 1. 4. 1. and 2. Another termination of inflammation is in gangrene, but this belongs to the inflammation of the external skin; as the production of purulent matter belongs to inflammation of the internal or mucous membranes. Thus when the external skin is the seat of inflammation, as in erythema, or erysipelas, and produces sensitive irritated fever, no collection of purulent matter can be formed; but a material oozes out, and lies upon the surface, like that in the confluent small-pox, and the cuticle at length peels off, or gangrene supervenes. It must be noted, that these kinds of inflammation can exist together; and some parts of the cellular membrane may suppurate at the same time that the external skin is affected with erythema, or erysipelas.
M. M. Venesection. Cathartics. Diluents. Cool air. Torpentia. Cold Bath? See Sect. XII. 6.
The increased arterial action in this sensitive irritated fever is not simply owing to the increased irritability of the arterial system, or to the stimulus of the distention of the vessels, but also to the increased acrimony or pungency of the blood; which has now so far changed its nature as to become more fluid, more dense, and to be loaded with coagulable lymph. Hence it becomes necessary not only to lessen the quantity of blood by venesection and by cathartics, but also to dilute its acrimony, or pungency, by the introduction of aqueous and mucilaginous fluids, such as barley water, cream and water, sugar and water, weak broths; to which may be added so much of some vegetable essential oil, as may render them grateful to the stomach, and thus promote their absorption, as by infusing parsley or cellery and turneps in the broth; or by balm, mint, or sage teas.
The following species of this genus only distinguish the situation of the part previously inflamed, and which is the remote cause of the sensitive irritated, or inflammatory fever, which attends it.
2. Ophthalmia interna. Inflammation of the eye is attended with the production of new vessels, which spread over the tunica adjunctiva, and over the cornea; these new vessels are easily seen, as they lie on a white ground, and give ocular demonstration of their production in inflammation. When this inflammation of the cornea suppurates, it is liable to leave little ulcers, which may be seen beneath the surface in the form of little excavations; and as these heal, they are liable to be covered with an opake scar. This scar, in some months or years, is liable to wear away, and become transparent, without the assistance of any polishing powder, as of very finely levigated glass, as some have recommended. But when the cornea is affected through all its thickness, the return of its transparency becomes hopeless. See Class I. 1. 3. 14.
In violent degrees of ophthalmy the internal parts, as the retina, optic artery, iris, ciliary process, become inflamed, as well as the external ones; hence the least light admitted to the eye occasions intolerable pain. This curious circumstance cannot be owing to the action of light on the inflamed vessels of the cornea; it therefore shews, that the extremity of the optic nerve or retina is also rendered more exquisitely sensible to light, by partaking of the inflammation; and I have been told, that red colours are in these cases sometimes painfully perceived even in perfect darkness. This shews that the retina is excited into motion by the stimulus of light; and that, when it is inflamed, these motions give great pain, like those of other inflamed parts, as the muscles, or membranes. And secondly, that the ideas of colours consist in the motions of the retina; which ideas occasion pain, when the extremity of the moving nerve is inflamed.
M. M. Venesection. Cathartics. Diluents. Torpentia. Frequently moisten the eye with cold water by means of a rag. Cool airy room. Darkness. When the inflammation begins to decline, white vitriol gr. vi. in an ounce of water is more efficacious to moisten the eye than solutions of lead. Tincture of opium diluted. New vessels from the inflamed tunica adnata frequently spread like a fly's wing upon the transparent cornea, which is then called Pterigium. To stop the growth of this, the principal vessels should be cut through with a lancet. When the inflammation begins to decline, after due evacuation any stimulating material put into the eye increases the absorption, which soon removes the new red vessels; which has given rise to a hundred famous eye-waters, and eye-doctors; if these stimulating materials are used too soon, the inflammation is increased by them. See Sect. XXXII. 2. 10.
There is another ophthalmia, which attends weak children, and is generally esteemed a symptom of scrophula, as described in Class II. 1. 4. 1. and another, which is of venereal origin, mentioned in Class II. 1. 5. 2. both which may be termed ophthalmia superficialis.
3. Phrenitis. Inflammation of the brain is attended with intolerance of light and sound; which shews, that the extremities of the nerves of those senses are at the same time inflamed; it is also attended with great pain of the head, with watchfulness, and furious delirium. The violent efforts, these patients are said sometimes to exert, are owing to the increased secretion of sensorial power in the brain; as all other inflamed glands have a greater circulation of blood passing through them, and a greater secretion in consequence of their peculiar fluids, as in the hepatitis much more bile is generated.
M. M. Venesection. Cathartics. Torpentia. Foment the head with cold water for hours together. Or with warm water. Cool airy room. Afterwards cupping on the occiput. Leeches to the temples. When the patient is weakened a blister on the head, and after further exhaustion five or six drops of tincture of opium.
4. Peripneumonia. Inflammation of the lungs. The pulse is not always hard, sometimes soft; which is probably owing to a degree of sickness or inaction of the stomach; with dull pain of the chest; respiration constantly difficult, sometimes with erect posture; the face bloated and purplish; cough generally with moist expectoration, often stained with blood.
When the difficulty of respiration is very great, the patient is not able to cough; in this situation, after copious bleeding, the cough is liable to return, and is so far a favourable symptom, as it shews some abatement of the inflammation.
A peripneumony frequently occurs in the chin-cough, and destroys the patient, except immediate recourse be had to the lancet, or to four or five leeches; when blood cannot be otherwise taken.
The peripneumony is very fatal to young children, especially as I believe it is frequently mistaken for a spasmodic asthma, or for the croup, or cynanche trachealis of Cullen. Both which, however, when they occur, require immediate venesection by the lancet or by leeches, as well as the peripneumony.
The croup is an inflammation of the upper part, and the peripneumony of the lower part of the same organ, viz. the trachea or windpipe. See Class I. 1. 3. 4. But as the inflammation is seldom I suppose confined to the upper part of the trachea only, but exists at the same time in other parts of the lungs, and as no inflammation of the tonsils is generally perceptible, the uncouth name of cynanche trachealis should be changed for peripneumonia trachialis. The method of cure consists in immediate and repeated bleeding. A vomit. A grain of calomel or other mild cathartic. Bathing in subtepid water, and in breathing over the steam of warm water, with or without a little vinegar in it. And lastly, by keeping the child raised high in bed. Take here an addendum
Inflammation of the lungs is also liable to occur in the measles, and must be attacked by venesection at any time of the disease; otherwise either a present death, or an incurable consumption, is the consequence.
The peripneumony is frequently combined with inflammation of the pleura, and sometimes with that of the diaphragm; either of these may generally be distinguished, not only by the pain which attends inflammation of these membranes, but by inspecting the naked chest, and observing whether the patient breathes more by elevating the ribs, or by depressing the diaphragm.
A crisis happens in children about the sixth day with much pale urine, which must be waited for after evacuations have been used, as far as can be done with safety; in this situation the warm bath twice a day, and small blisters repeatedly in succession, are of peculiar service.
After the termination of peripneumony a collection of coagulable lymph is frequently left in the cavity of the chest unabsorbed; or a common anasarca of the lungs occurs from the present inaction of the absorbent vessels, which had previously been excited too violently. This difficulty of breathing is cured or relieved by the exhibition of digitalis. See Art. IV. 2. 8.
M. M. The lancet is the anchor of hope in this disease; which must be repeated four or five times, or as often as the fever and difficulty of breathing increase, which is generally in the evening; antimonials, diluents, repeated small blisters about the chest, mucilage, pediluvium, warm bath. Is a decoction of seneka-root of use? Do not neutral salts increase the tendency to cough by their stimulus, as they increase the heat of urine in gonorrhœa? Children in every kind of difficult breathing, from whatever cause, should be kept as upright in bed as may be, and continually watched; since, if they slip down, they are liable to be immediately suffocated. After the patient is greatly debilitated, so that no further evacuation can be admitted, and the difficult breathing and cough continue, I have given four or five drops of tincture of opium, that is, about a quarter of a grain of solid opium, with great advantage, and I believe in several cases I have saved the patient. A greater quantity of opium in this state of debility cannot be used without hazarding the life of the person. This small quantity of an opiate should be given about six in the evening, or before the access of the evening paroxysm, and repeated three or four nights, or longer.
There is a peripneumony with weak pulse, which may be termed peripneumonia inirritata, as described in Sect. XXVII. 2. which belongs to this place. See also Superficial Peripneumony, Class II. 1. 3. 7.
5. Pleuritis. Pleurisy. Inflammation of the pleura, with hard pulse, pain chiefly of the side, pungent, particularly increased during inspiration; lying on either side uneasy, the cough very painful, dry at the beginning, afterwards moist, often bloody.
One cause of pleurisy is probably a previous adhesion of the lungs to a part of the pleura, which envelops them. This in many cases has been produced in infancy, by suffering children to lie too long on one side. Or by placing them uniformly on one side of a fire, or window, to which they will be liable always to bend themselves.
When matter is produced during peripneumony or pleurisy in one side of the chest, so long as it is a concealed vomica, the fever continues, if the disease be great, for many weeks, and even months; and requires occasional venesection, till the patient sinks under the inflammatory or sensitive irritated fever. But if air be admitted, by a part of the abscess opening itself a way into the air-vessels of the lungs, a hectic fever, with colliquitive sweats or diarrhœa, supervenes, and frequently destroys the patient; or the abscess heals the lungs adhering to the pleura.
M. M. The lancet must be used copiously, and repeated as often as the pain and difficult respiration increase. A blister on the pained part. Antimonial preparations. Diluents. Cool air. Do neutral salts increase the tendency to cough? Pediluvium or semicupium frequently repeated.
6. Diaphragmitis. Inflammation of the diaphragm. Pain round the lower ribs as if girt with a cord. Difficult respiration performed only by elevating the ribs and in an erect posture. The corners of the mouth frequently retracted into a disagreeable smile, called risus Sardonicus.
Those animals, which are furnished with clavicles, or collar-bones, not only use their foremost feet as hands, as men, monkies, cats, mice, squirrels, &c. but elevate their ribs in respiration as well as depress the diaphragm for the purpose of enlarging the cavity of the chest. Hence an inflammation of the diaphragm is sudden death to those animals, as horses and dogs, which can only breaths by depressing the diaphragm; and is I suppose the cause of the sudden death of horses that are over-worked; whereas, in the human animal, when the diaphragm is inflamed, so as to render its motions impossible from the pain they occasion, respiration can be carried on, though in a less perfect manner, by the intercostal muscles in the elevation of the ribs. In pleurisy the ribs are kept motionless, and the respiration is performed by the diaphragm, as may be readily seen on inspecting the naked chest, and which is generally a bad symptom; in the diaphragmitis the ribs are alternately elevated, and depressed, but the lower part of the belly is not seen to move.
M. M. As in pleurisy and peripneumony. When the patient becomes delirious, and smiles disagreeably by intervals, and is become so weak, that evacuations by the lancet could be used no further, and I have almost despaired of my patient, I have found in two or three instances, that about five or six drops of tinct. thebaic, given an hour before the evening exacerbation, has had the happiest effect, and cured the patient in this case, as well as in common peripneumony; it must be repeated two or three evenings, see Class II. 1. 2. 4. as the exacerbation of the fever and difficult respiration and delirium generally increase towards night.
The stimulus of this small quantity of opium on a patient previously so much debilitated, acts by increasing the exertion of the absorbent vessels, in the same manner as a solution of opium, or any other stimulant, put on an inflamed eye after the vessels are previously emptied by evacuations, stimulates the absorbent system, so as to cause the remaining new vessels to be immediately reabsorbed. Which same stimulants would have increased the inflammation, if they had been applied before the evacuations. See Class II. 1. 2. 2. Sect. XXXIII. 3. 1. When the sanguiferous system is full of blood, the absorbents cannot act so powerfully, as the progress of their contents is opposed by the previous fulness of the blood-vessels; whence stimulants in that case increase the action of the secerning system more than of the absorbent one; but after copious evacuation this resistance to the progress of the absorbed fluids is removed; and when stimulants are then applied, they increase the action of the absorbent system more than that of the secerning one. Hence opium given in the commencement of inflammatory diseases destroys the patient; and cures them, if given in very small doses at the end of inflammatory diseases.
7. Carditis. Inflammation of the heart is attended with unequal intermitting pulse, palpitation, pain in the middle of the sternum, and constant vomiting. It cannot certainly be distinguished from peripneumony, and is perhaps always combined with it.
8. Peritonitis. Inflammation of the peritonæum is known by pain all over the abdomen, which is increased on erecting the body. It has probably most frequently a rheumatic origin. See Class II. 1. 2. 17.
9. Mesenteritis. Inflammation of the mesentery is attended with pains like colic, and with curdled or chyle-like stools. It is a very frequent and dangerous disease, as the production of matter more readily takes place in it than in any other viscus. The consequence of which, after a hard labour, is probably the puerperal fever, and in scrophulous habits a fatal purulent fever, or hopeless consumption.
M. M. Venesection. Warm bath. Emollient clysters.
10. Gastritis. In inflammation of the stomach the pulse is generally soft, probably occasioned by the sickness which attends it. The pain and heat of the stomach is increased by whatever is swallowed, with immediate rejection of it. Hiccough.
This disease may be occasioned by acrid or indigestible matters taken into the stomach, which may chemically or mechanically injure its interior coat. There is however a slighter species of inflammation of this viscus, and perhaps of all others, which is unattended by much fever; and which is sometimes induced by drinking cold water, or eating cold insipid food, as raw turnips, when the person has been much heated and fatigued by exercise. For when the sensorial power has been diminished by great exertion, and the stomach has become less irritable by having been previously stimulated by much heat, it sooner becomes quiescent by the application of cold. In consequence of this slight inflammation of the stomach an eruption of the face frequently ensues by the sensitive association of this viscus with the skin, which is called a surfeit. See Class IV. 1. 2. 13. and II. 1. 4. 6. and II. 1. 3. 19.
M. M. Venesection. Warm bath. Blister. Anodyne clysters. Almond soap. See Class II. 1. 3. 17.
11. Enteritis. Inflammation of the bowels is often attended with soft pulse, probably owing to the concomitant sickness; which prevents sometimes the early use of the lancet, to the destruction of the patient. At other times it is attended with strong and full pulse like other inflammations of internal membranes. Can the seat of the disease being higher or lower in the intestinal canal, that is, above or below the valve of the colon, produce this difference of pulse by the greater sympathy of one part of the bowels with the stomach than another? In enteritis with strong pulse the pain is great about the navel, with vomiting, and the greatest difficulty in procuring a stool. In the other, the pain and fever is less, without vomiting, and with diarrhœa. Whence it appears, that the enteritis with hard quick pulse differs from Ileus, described in Class I. 3. 1. 6. only in the existence of fever in the former and not the latter, the other symptoms generally corresponding; and, secondly, that the enteritis with softer quick pulse, differs from the cholera described in Class I. 3. 1. 5. only in the existence of fever in the former, and not the latter, the other symptoms being in general similar. See Class II. 1. 3. 20.
Inflammation of the bowels sometimes is owing to extraneous indigestible substances, as plum-stones, especially of the damasin, which has sharp ends. Sometimes to an introsusception of one part of the intestine into another, and very frequently to a strangulated hernia or rupture. In respect to the first, I knew an instance where a damasin stone, after a long period of time, found its way out of the body near the groin. I knew another child, who vomited some damasin stones, which had lain for near twenty hours, and given great pain about the navel, by the exhibition of an emetic given in repeated doses for about an hour. The swallowing of plum-stones in large quantities, and even of cherry-stones, is annually fatal to many children. In respect to the introsusception and hernia, see Ileus, Class I. 3. 1. 6.
M. M. Repeated venesection. Calomel from ten to twenty grains given in small pills as in Ileus; these means used early in the disease generally succeed. After these evacuations a blister contributes to stop the vomiting. Warm bath. Crude mercury. Aloes one grain-pill every hour will frequently stay in the stomach. Glauber's salt dissolved in pepper-mint water given by repeated spoonfuls.
When the patient is much reduced, opium in very small doses may be given, as a quarter of a grain, as recommended in pleurisy. If the pain suddenly ceases, and the patient continues to vomit up whatever is given him, it is generally fatal; as it indicates, that a mortification of the bowel is already formed. Some authors have advised to join cathartic medicines with an opiate in inflammation of the bowels, as recommended in colica saturnina. This may succeed in slighter cases, but is a dangerous practice in general; since, if the obstruction be not removed by the evacuation, the stimulus of the opium is liable to increase the action of the vessels, and produce mortification of the bowel, as I think I have seen more than once.
12. Hepatitis. Inflammation of the liver is attended with strong quick pulse; tension and pain of the right side; often pungent as in pleurisy, oftner dull. A pain is said to affect the clavicle, and top of the right shoulder; with difficulty in lying on the left side; difficult respiration; dry cough; vomiting; hiccough.
There is another hepatitis mentioned by authors, in which the fever, and other symptoms, are wanting, or are less violent; as described in Class II. 1. 4. 12. and which is probably sometimes relieved by eruptions of the face; as in those who are habituated to the intemperate use of fermented liquors.
M. M. Hepatic inflammation is very liable to terminate in suppuration, and the patient is destroyed by the continuance of a fever with sizy blood, but without night-sweats, or diarrhœa, as in other unopened abscesses. Whence copious and repeated venesection is required early in the disease, with repeated doses of calomel, and cathartics. Warm bath. Towards the end of the disease small doses of opium before the evening paroxysms, and lastly the Peruvian bark, and chalybeate wine, at first in small doses, as 20 drops twice a day, and afterwards, if necessary, in larger. See Art. IV. 2. 6.
Mrs. C. a lady in the last month of her pregnancy, was seized with violent hepatitis, with symptoms both of peripneumony and of pleurisy, for it seldom happens in violent inflammations, that one viscus alone is affected; she wanted then about a fortnight of her delivery, and after frequent venesection, with gentle cathartics, with fomentation or warm bath, she recovered and was safely delivered, and both herself and child did well. Rheumatic and eruptive fevers are more liable to induce abortion.
13. Splenitis. Inflammation of the spleen commences with tension, heat, and tumour of the left side, and with pain, which is increased by pressure. A case is described in Class I. 2. 3. 18. where a tumid spleen, attended with fever, terminated in schirrus of that viscus.
14. Nephritis. Inflammation of the kidney seems to be of two kinds; each of them attended with different symptoms, and different modes of termination. One of them I suppose to be an inflammation of the external membrane of the kidney, arising from general causes of inflammation, and accompanied with pain in the loins without vomiting; and the other to consist in an inflammation of the interior parts of the kidney, occasioned by the stimulus of gravel in the pelvis of it, which is attended with perpetual vomiting, with pain along the course of the ureter, and retraction of the testis on that side, or numbness of the thigh.
The former of these kinds of nephritis is distinguished from lumbago by its situation being more exactly on the region of the kidney, and by its not being extended beyond that part; after three or four days I believe this inflammation is liable to change place; and that a herpes or erysipelas, called zona, or shingles, breaks out about the loins in its stead; at other times it is cured by a cathartic with calomel, with or without previous venesection.
The other kind of nephritis, or inflammation of the interior part of the kidney, generally arises from the pain occasioned by the stimulus of a stone entering the ureter from the pelvis of the kidney; and, which ceases when the stone is protruded forwards into the bladder; or when it is returned into the pelvis of the kidney by the retrograde action of the ureter. The kidney is nevertheless inflamed more frequently, though in a less degree, from other causes; especially from the intemperate ingurgitation of ale, or other fermented or spirituous liquors. This less degree of inflammation is the cause of gravel, as that before mentioned is the effect of it. The mucus secreted to lubricate the internal surface of the uriniferous tubes of the kidney becomes secreted in greater quantity, when these vessels are inflamed; and, as the correspondent absorbent vessels act more energetically at the same time, the absorption of its more fluid parts is more powerfully effected; on both these accounts the mucus becomes both changed in quality and more indurated. And in this manner stones are produced on almost every mucous membrane of the body; as in the lungs, bowels, and even in the pericordium, as some writers have affirmed. See Class I. 1. 3. 9.
M. M. Venesection. Ten grains of calomel given in small pills, then infusion of sena with oil. Warm bath. Then opium a grain and half. See Class I. 1. 3. 9. for a further account of the method of cure.
15. Cystitis. Inflammation of the bladder is attended with tumor and pain of the lower part of the belly; with difficult and painful micturition; and tenesmus. It generally is produced by the existence of a large stone in the bladder, when in a great degree; or is produced by common causes, when in a slighter degree.
The stone in the bladder is generally formed in the kidney, and passing down the ureter into the bladder becomes there gradually increased in size; and this most frequently by the apposition of concentric spheres, as may be seen by sawing some of the harder calculi through the middle, and polishing one surface. These new concretions superinduced on the nucleus, which descended from the kidney, as described in Class I. 1. 3. 9. and in the preceding article of this genus, is not owing to the microcosmic salt, which is often seen to adhere to the sides of chamber-pots, as this is soluble in warm water, but to the mucus of the bladder, as it rolls along the internal surface of it. Now when the bladder is slightly inflamed, this mucus of its internal surface is secreted in greater quantity, and is more indurated by the absorption of its more liquid part at the instant of secretion, as explained in Class I. 1. 3. 9. and II. 1. 2. 14. and thus the stimulus and pain of a stone in the bladder contributes to its enlargement by inflaming the interior coat of it.
M. M. Venesection. Warm bath. Diluents. Anodyne clysters. See Class I. 1. 3. 9.
16. Hysteritis. Inflammation of the womb is accompanied with heat, tension, tumor, and pain of the lower belly. The os uteri painful to the touch. Vomiting. This disease is generally produced by improper management in the delivery of pregnant women. I knew an unfortunate case, where the placenta was left till the next day; and then an unskilful accoucheur introduced his hand, and forcibly tore it away; the consequence was a most violent inflammatory fever, with hard throbbing pulse, great pain, very sizy blood, and the death of the patient. Some accoucheurs have had a practice of introducing their hand into the uterus immediately after the birth of the child, to take away the placenta; which they said was to save time. Many women I believe have been victims to this unnatural practice.
Others have received injury, where inflammation has been beginning, by the universal practice of giving a large dose of opium immediately on delivery, without any indication of its propriety; which, though a proper and useful medicine, where the patient is too feeble, when given in a small dose, as 10 drops of tincture of opium, or half a grain of solid opium, must do a proportionate injury, when it is given improperly; and as delivery is a natural process, it is certainly more wise to give no medicines, except there be some morbid symptom, which requires it; and which has only been introduced into custom by the ill-employed activity of the Priests or Priestesses of Lucina; like the concomitant nonsense of cramming rue or rheubarb into the mouth of the unfortunate young stranger, who is thus soon made to experience the evils of life. See Class II. 1. 1. 12. and I. 1. 2. 5. Just so some over-wise beldames force young ducks and turkeys, as soon as they are hatched, to swallow a peppercorn.
M. M. Venesection repeatedly; diluents; fomentation; the patient should be frequently raised up in bed for a short time, to give opportunity of discharge to the putrid lochia; mucilaginous clysters. See Febris Puerpera.
17. Lumbago sensitiva. Sensitive lumbago. When the extensive membranes, or ligaments, which cover the muscles of the back are torpid, as in the cold paroxysm of ague, they are attended with pain in consequence of the inaction of the vessels, which compose them. When this inaction continues without a consequent renewal or increase of activity, the disease becomes chronical, and forms the lumbago frigida, or irritativa, described in Class I. 2. 4. 16. But when this cold fit or torpor of these membranes, or ligaments or muscles of the back, is succeeded by a hot fit, and consequent inflammation, a violent inflammatory fever, with great pain, occurs, preventing the erect posture of the body; and the affected part is liable to suppurate, in which case a very dangerous ulcer is formed, and a part of one of the vertebrae is generally found carious, and the patient sinks after a long time under the hectic fever occasioned by the aerated or oxygenated matter.
This disease bears no greater analogy to rheumatism than the inflammation of the pleura, or any other membranous inflammation; and has therefore unjustly been arranged under that name. It is distinguished from nephritis, as it is seldom attended with vomiting, I suppose never, except the ureter happens to be inflamed at the same time.
The pain sometimes extends on the outside of the thigh from the hip to the ankle, heel, or toes, and is then called sciatica; and has been thought to consist in an inflammation of the theca, or covering of the sciatic nerve, as the pain sometimes so exactly attends the principal branches of that nerve. See Class I. 2. 4. 15. 16.
M. M. Venesection repeatedly; calomel; gentle cathartics; diluents; warm bath; poultice on the back, consisting of camomile flowers, turpentine, soap, and opium; a burgundy-pitch plaster. A debility of the inferior limbs from the torpor of the muscles, which had previously been too much excited, frequently occurs at the end of this disease; in this case electricity, and issues on each side of the lumber vertebræ, are recommended. See Class I. 2. 4. 16.
18. Ischias. The ischias consists of inflammatory fever, with great pain about the pelvis, the os coccigis, and the heads of the thigh-bones, preventing the patient from walking or standing erect, with increase of pain on going to stool. This malady, as well as the preceding, has been ascribed to rheumatism; with which it seems to bear no greater analogy, than the inflammations of any other membranes.
The patients are left feeble, and sometimes lame after this disease; which is also sometimes accompanied with great flow of urine, owing to the defective absorption of its aqueous parts; and with consequent thirst occasioned by the want of so much fluid being returned into the circulation; a lodgment of fæces in the rectum sometimes occurs after this complaint from the lessened sensibility of it. See Class I. 2. 4. 15.
M. M. Venesection; gentle cathartics; diluents; fomentation; poultice with camomile flowers, turpentine, soap, and opium; afterwards the bark. See Class I. 1. 3. 5.
When this inflammation terminates in suppuration the matter generally can be felt to fluctuate in the groin, or near the top of the thigh. In this circumstance, my friend Mr. Bent, Surgeon near Newcastle in Staffordshire, proposes to tap the abscess by means of a trocar, and thus as often as necessary to discharge the matter without admitting the air. Might a weak injection of wine and water, as in the hydrocele, be used with great caution to inflame the walls of the abscess, and cause them to unite? See Class II. 1. 6. 9.
19. Paronychia interna. Inflammation beneath the finger-nail. The pain occasioned by the inflammatory action and tumor of parts bound down between the nail on one side and the bone on the other, neither of which will yield, is said to occasion so much pain as to produce immediate delirium, and even death, except the parts are divided by a deep incision; which must pass quite through the periosteum, as the inflammation is said generally to exist beneath it. This disease is thus resembled by the process of toothing in young children; where an extraneous body lodged beneath the periosteum induces pain and fever, and sometimes delirium, and requires to be set at liberty, by the lancet.