An Account of the Diseases which were most frequent in the British military hospitals in GermanyMonro, Donald
History
An Account of the Diseases which were most frequent in the British military hospitals in Germany
Monro, Donald
Medicine, Military; Military hospitals; Military hygiene; Seven Years' War, 1756-1763 -- Medical care
It often happened, that, after the Dysentery had continued for some
Time, the Sick complained for a Day or two of severe Gripes; and then
discharged along with the Stools little Pieces of hardened Excrements;
at other Times, tho’ more rarely, little Pieces of white Stuff like
Tallow or Suet: Frequently small Filaments, and little Pieces of
Membranes, were found floating in the Stools; and it was very common
for the Sick to vomit up Worms of the round Kind, or discharge them by
Stool[30].
[30] Most Authors, who treat of the Dysentery, mention this
Symptom of Worms; and Dr. _Huxham_ tells us, that, in some
Seasons, he has seen round Worms in the Stools of most of the
Dysenteric Patients. _De Aere_, vol. II. p. 98.
In the Course of the Disorder, the Men often complained of a violent
Pain of the Rectum, near the Fundament, which was most excruciating
when they went to Stool; it continued for some Days, sometimes for a
Week or more; and then they passed more or less of a Yellow Pus with
their Excrements, and the violent Pain ceased. Mr. _A. Tough_, one of
the Apothecaries to the Military Hospital in _Germany_, was the first
who told me that I should find Pus mixed with the Stools: on my
mentioning a Case of this Kind, which had been relieved by Bleeding,
and Clysters often repeated; he told me he had observed it frequently
at _Gibraltar_; and was at a Loss to understand the Nature of the
Symptom, till he observed the Matter in the Stools; which at once
shewed him that it had been originally an acute Inflammation of the
Part, and pointed out to him the proper Method of Cure.
Oftentimes the Bilious and Malignant Fevers terminated in the
Dysentery; or were accompanied with it, when it might be looked upon
as a Symptom of these Fevers.
The Appearances we found after Death in the Bodies of some Patients,
who died of old Fluxes at _Bremen_, were: In all of them the Rectum
was inflamed, and partly gangrened, especially the internal Coat. In
two the lower Part of the Colon was inflamed, and there were several
livid Spots on its great Arcade. In one whose Body was much emaciated,
and who had been seized with a violent Pain of the Bowels two Days
before his Death, all the small Guts were red and inflamed; and in
another there were livid gangrened Spots on the Stomach[31].
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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