The Practitioner. May, 1869.: A Monthly Journal of TherapeuticsVarious
Science
The Practitioner. May, 1869.: A Monthly Journal of Therapeutics
Various
Medicine -- Periodicals; Therapeutics -- Periodicals
[It is very necessary that we should study the opinions of foreign
physicians and surgeons as to the dangers of anæsthesia. At the same
time, I think it right to protest here that the cautions given even by
Nagel, and still more those which Gosselin inculcates (with two
exceptions), are to me inexplicable. At least they can only be
understood upon the supposition that the means of inducing anæsthesia
which are employed by these authorities are extremely inefficient and
improper. A former very large experience of chloroform administration,
some years ago, impressed me with the confident belief that if
chloroform be given with proper care and with a Snow’s, or still better
a Clover’s apparatus, there is really no danger whatever in its use,
except in two cases—that of shock after severe injury, and that of
delirium tremens. I cannot admit that a patient who is in a fit
condition to undergo a surgical operation at all is placed in any worse
position for supporting the shock of it by the fact that he has been
chloroformised, if this has been skilfully done—the case of severe shock
from injury always excepted.—F. E. ANSTIE.]
=Subcutaneous Injection of Mercury in Syphilis.=—Dr. A. Stöhr records a
series of clinical observations on this method of treatment, which are
very interesting. He considers that the subcutaneous injection of the
bichloride is the most effective and direct means of producing the
curative effects of mercury which has ever been applied. Stöhr employed
the treatment for 96 patients; in almost all the cases it was carefully
ascertained that no specific treatment had been previously adopted. His
cases included a larger relative proportion of inveterate syphilis than
those treated by Lewin in his researches, described by M. Bricheteau in
the _Practitioner_ for March. Stöhr considers that the hypodermic method
is not needed for the milder forms of syphilis. Old and obstinate cases,
on the other hand, in which inunction or other forms of mercurialisation
have been vainly tried, are particularly appropriate for a trial of the
subcutaneous method. It is especially indicated in such cases as those
of iritis and of dangerous laryngeal affections, in which it is
important to produce a very rapid effect; also in severe and extensive
syphilitic skin affections, in which inunction cannot be applied.
Syphilis of the bones and periosteum, and syphilitic gummata, are but
little influenced by hypodermic mercurialisation. In cases accompanied
by severe marasmus, the hypodermic use of mercury is contra-indicated.
It is also inappropriate to the treatment of those persons who have to
be treated as _out_patients of a hospital. Stöhr employs a solution of
corrosive sublimate in distilled water: he had at first tried a solution
in glycerine, but this did not prove practically convenient. The dose
ordinarily used was ⅛ of a grain; the daily employment of this only
slowly produces ptyalism. When ¼ grain doses were used daily, the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account