Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1843-05-18


when large, the involuntary neryon
system sIso. The nervous force bein.
diminished, there ef Course exists nj
inability Of function. This snbec
needs extensive illustration. which
shall no, attempt here, having so re
Gently exp"und"d it in my late writings
the Institutes Of medicine.
The term exhaustion appears 10 b.
used quite. synony mously with debility
although very improperly. II signifies
the act Of draining eff freely. II might
br applied in physiological technics Ia
express n state Of the system after great
hsmorrhagcs, swestings, or starvation,
none OF these cTcumstances existed in
tho present cnsr and il is manifest the
exhaustion OF vital force before the at.
tack is altogether visionary /; and even
until the seventh day Of sickness.
u is inmnierisl what name the reporter
may have given TO the disease under
consideration for although the report is
very deficient in relation TO the phenome-
m, still enough are given 10 establish the
Tact of the existence Of a general pyrectic
habit, concentrating ON some Of the or.
gans essential to life and furthermore,
IN show that the character Of the diathesis
was st"ni@, syD"choid, or no sodynarnio
IL this he legitimate inference, we are
compelled to say as before, the treatment
was meager, hssiinting sc. and we may
add imberile. The most efficient reme-
dies "ughtto TO have been early resorted To.
and before any structural changes had
taken place internally. There was am-
pie time afforded for rchec,ion and exer-
iinn. Al tho very commencement Of the
attack, the whole weight Of the diseased
state ought to have been estimated and
opposed, without waiting for its entire
d.vrlopcncm Before offering a sue
cinci scheme Of treatment, We must
nDimadver little farther on what was
done.
II is very oppressive TO every enligM-
ehrd practitioner tn see irrcdeeuR BILE
time wasted in the attempt TO saIivate,
and also, IN the iner, use Of ene'nata To
rvacuaic the first passages containing an
accumulation Of colluvies. In dread Of
exhaustion, TO hear that rum and brandy
't"dty" were used. Medicines were
exhibited IN such sparing quantities that
the bowels were scarcely cleared during
several days, aud at n time that demand
cd free evacuation furthermore, it
~ surprising that any thing should be
trusted to slight cu2ping IN case that
demanded free evacua,ions Of blood from,
the arm until the urgency oi the symp-
i,nus should be subdued. Yet the system
ought t. be suitably prepared before prac-
t'rug the bleeding. Then, again, the
use oi busters must have been preposter-
"us, aud unavaiIing until the force of the
general disease ard urgency of pain shall
have been chiefly subdued by more
fIiricm means. They then might have
been used to help remove some Of the
scattered sprays Of inflammation. Ii is
difficult to divine what good could be
expcrted Of so continued use Of senega
aud serpcntaria throug b the whole course
"i the disease, Their occasional use
might have been proper when attempting |
I" procure sweating, but any farther they
must have been too stimulating, and very
nawkish Ia the stomach. IL appears, al
~ that food and nourishing drinks were
urged upon him, whilst the digestive
faculties were in no condition TO dispose
al them. Il
We will now pass over several Of the
ancrs of less importance, 10 be-
stow, however reluctantly, some ai,en-
ton to the employment of opiaies in the
rase. These were given in fragments
and IN different preparations. | have
analyzed the preparations and proportions
with much careluiness estimating one
grim Of extract of opium in 20 drops OF
laudanun,, and one grain in 10 grains
Of dover powder, &c. ] fnd from the
third day Of the ague or chill, to the
eighth day OF the case, that he took
equal Ia eighteen grains of extract Of
opium, besides what was used external.
ly. ] am aware tha, very cxceptionable
Precedcnis may be brought to Justify \
this practice in pneumonia. Still, from
much observation and for a long time,
am fully convinced It is the most improp-
or article of all the materin medica in
unless il may he some dele
Ierious drug iha, may destroy life in
few hours. ii is n severe and abiding
condensing still more the tonic
aud rigid condition Of the tissues, in
rreasing the internal conges,ions, and
all the secreiions and excre-
ions. For myself, | am so much con-
pinced OF its noxious properties in pneu- \
nonis, that / should consider myseIf { s
criminal in giving a single grain at any I
stage Of the disease. IL suspends sweats
until sometimes at length profuse clam I
ny sweat may break out by the severe @
operation OF the reac,ing powers Of the v
system affording no relief in this case 8
similar 10 what occurred in the case un- f
Ter consideration in the intestines the I,
unciions Of these organs being for some a
ipe suspended by the influence of OPT
IN, at length the responding efforts Of f
tissues produced an irrepressi- v
lie diarrhna. This no doubt was sggra-
n'ed by The ingorged state Of the viscera II
" the disease. This event is Just what ,
night have been expected under the Il
n"dyne treatment. a
Having progressed thus far, end with n
lrppd,m i'm INV exDos,iioDs A