The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1849-05-17
From Chambers' Journal
POPULAR MEDICAL ERRORS.
Mucus MEMBRANES

MUCU5 MEM bhANEs
Whilst on the subject Of these common
expressions, may just remark that there
are some terms used which have really no
meaning whatever, and cannot be connected
with any definite ideas BY those who use
them Sometimes we hear a friend say
that che is dreadfully III Of the nerpes y
and another will tell you he is sorry to say
that his wife is i'll, and the doctors have pro-
nounced il to be the mucus membranes,
These are, of course, instances Of express
sions being used after the manner Of Mrs.
Malaprop, without any inquiry as to their
Specification
SEVEN YEARS.
People conceive that there is change
every seven years in the constitution. That
a change is continually going on there can
be no doubt We know that an infant
grows to iull-sized man, and consequently
there must be change Of PARTICLES re-
moval Of some, and fresh deposition Of
Iothers-else we should have mere super
imposition Of parts, and the body Of the in
But as to the seven years: for my part
never could understand how people satisfied
themselves that such changes were COM
pleted in exactly seven years. ] have often
been asked by my patients" Doctor, do
you think shall ever get rid Of this COM
plant they say there is a change every
seven years | look forward for this time,
for have already been III FIVE" The Ro-
man Lustrum was, ] think, a space Of five
years, the Greek Olympiad space Of four
years, but the seven years is the favorite
period chosen as the one which regulates
the changes Of the body in public opinion.
OF course a period ike this win bring
about many changes, and one cannot but
look forward to such period with feelings
Of interest and anxiety still there seems no
good reason to select this as the prescribed
limits for the operations Of nature.
AMpUTATIoN.
Persons are very curious, and it is very
natural they should be, respecting surgical
operations. have often been asked what
was the most painful part Of an amputation;
and before the answer could be well given,
the querist has declared his own conviction,
that the act Of saving through the bone, or
at any rate cutting through the marrow, must
be the critical point. Now this does not
appear to be by any means the case and
on thinking upon the subject, it seems to me
that the idea arises simply from the word
marrow being suggestive Of great sensibity,
and, as il were, the essence Of all that is
profound. But the marrow is merely the
oily matter contained in the bones, and must
in itself be devoid OF sensation. In one
application Of the word It is true; il has re-
ference to an important part, as in the
expression "spinal narrow" but this use
Of the word, though sanctioned by medical
men, is altogether incorrect, and arose in
error. What is called the spinal marrow is
not marrow at all, but part Of the ner-
vous system, which is continuous with the
brain.
In speaking Of surgical operations, may
mention il as common idea that surge ons
were in the habit Of adopting means Of
deadening pain before they undertook an
operation. Before, however, the recent
employment Of ether and chloroform, nothing
was used expressly for this purpose. The
tourniquet, which is placed round the limb
to compress the artery, and prevent loss Of
blood, was no doubt supposed to be princi-
pally to numb pain.
scURvY.
II we take the trouble to look into pro-
fessed work on diseases Of the skin, we find
great many diseases described in great
many hard names, and at first feel quite
COMPOUNDED in our attempts to apply these
terms properly to the cases we see. How
ever, the public have made very easy mat
ter Of it. With the great mass Of people,
there is one name which they apply in every
instance, and in every instance they apply It
wrongly This is scnrvy J" What pity
| (you win hear il sadly that Mr.. A. IS
SO :scorbutic - "And really Miss B.
would be very welklooking, e il was not
FOR that scorbutic eruption. ~ .eWhat IS