In these acute forms of the disease, if the proper remedies be not
vigorously employed, the pain ceases _within the fourth day_; it rarely
extends beyond the fifth; the pain passes into insensibility; delirium
comes on, sometimes so violent as to require restraint, but delirium is
by no means an invariable concomitant of the other symptoms, even when
these are the most violent: when it is present it is almost always
rapidly followed by muscular tremors, and these by subsultus tendinum,
which now and then usher in general convulsions; but this last event is
rare, and I have never yet seen convulsions unaccompanied with a
particular condition of the brain hereafter to be described. Sometimes
the muscular tremors succeed immediately to the transition of the pain
into insensibility, while the insensibility rapidly increases to stupor,
and that to profound coma. The breathing is occasionally as stertorous
as it is in apoplexy, but this is also rare, and when it does occur, is
probably dependent on a peculiar condition of the brain hereafter to be
pointed out. Together with these there is a concurrence of a greater or
a lesser number of the symptoms enumerated at page 107, but the
particular combinations that are found most usually to accompany
particular conditions of the brain, it will be most instructive to state
in connexion with the pathology.
In synochus with acute cerebral disease there is less indication of
thoracic and abdominal affection than in the subacute form, because the
intensity of the cerebral disease obscures the signs of derangement in
the other organs; but the signs of their derangement are never absent,
although they are less obtrusive, and they trace in indelible characters
proofs of their activity in the ravages they commit upon their
structures in which they have their seat.
Such is the course of synochus under different degrees of violence. When
it is combined with subacute cerebral affection, that course is usually
terminated in from three to six weeks; when with acute cerebral
affection, in from seven to ten days.
As an illustration of each form of the disease, as it is commonly met
with in practice, I subjoin the following cases.
CASE I.
JOHN COLEBERT, æt. 28, admitted into the Fever Hospital August 1, 1828.
Attacked five days ago with chilliness, alternating with heat, pains of
limbs, head-ache, and sense of weakness. At present complains of pain of
head, with slight giddiness; pains of limbs, especially of back and
lower extremities; skin moderately warm; tongue loaded with white fur;
much thirst; three stools; respiration natural; no cough, no uneasiness
in chest; no epigastric or abdominal tenderness on full pressure; pulse
96, soft.
6th. Skin natural; pain of head gone; pain of back and limbs continues;
slept better; tongue more clean; three stools; pulse 102.
7th. Pain of head not returned; pain of limbs better; tongue still
cleaning; three stools; pulse 96.
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