Medical Inquiries and Observations, Vol. 3: The Second Edition, Revised and Enlarged by the AuthorRush, Benjamin
Science
Medical Inquiries and Observations, Vol. 3: The Second Edition, Revised and Enlarged by the Author
Rush, Benjamin
Medicine; Yellow fever -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia
"Being well assured of the great importance of dissections of morbid
bodies in the investigation of the nature of diseases, we have thought it
of consequence that some of those dead of the present prevailing
malignant fever should be examined; and, without enlarging on our
observations, it appears at present sufficient to state the following
facts.
"1st. That the brain in all its parts has been found in a natural
condition.
"2d. That the viscera of the thorax are perfectly sound. The blood,
however, in the heart and veins is fluid, similar, in its consistence, to
the blood of persons who have been hanged, or destroyed by electricity.
"3d. That the stomach, and beginning of the duodenum, are the parts that
appear most diseased. In two persons who died of the disease on the 5th
day, the villous membrane of the stomach, especially about its smaller
end, was found highly inflamed; and this inflammation extended through
the pylorus into the duodenum, some way. The inflammation here was
exactly similar to that induced in the stomach by acrid poisons, as by
arsenic, which we have once had an opportunity of seeing in a person
destroyed by it.
"The bile in the gall-bladder was quite of its natural colour, though
very viscid.
"In another person, who died on the 8th day of the disease, several spots
of extravasation were discovered between the membranes, particularly
about the smaller end of the stomach, the inflammation of which had
considerably abated. Pus was seen in the beginning of the duodenum, and
the villous membrane at this part was thickened.
"In two other persons, who died at a more advanced period of the disease,
the stomach appeared spotted in many places with extravasations, and the
inflammation disappeared. It contained, as did also the intestines, a
black liquor, which had been vomited and purged before death. This black
liquor appears clearly to be an altered secretion from the liver; for a
fluid in all respects of the same qualities was found in the gall
bladder. This liquor was so acrid, that it induced considerable
inflammation and swelling on the operator's hands, which remained some
days. The villous membrane of the intestines, in these last two bodies,
was found inflamed in several places.
"The liver was of its natural appearance, excepting in one of the last
persons, on the surface of which a very few distended veins were seen:
all the other abdominal viscera were of a healthy appearance.
"The external surface of the stomach, as well as of the intestines, was
quite free from inflammation; the veins being distended with blood, which
appeared through the transparent peritonium, gave them a dark colour.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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