An essay on the nature and treatment of the Indian pestilence, commonly called cholera / by Henry Penneck.

  • Penneck Henry.
Date:
1831
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An essay on the nature and treatment of the Indian pestilence, commonly called cholera / by Henry Penneck. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    tremely good effect, in removing severe pains of the head and oppression of the chest; and I think they promise to be of much use in this disease. Purgatives.—With respect to purgatives, 1 am con- vinced they should be of the mildest kind, otherwise they may re-excite the former symptoms. When the severe symptoms have subsided, and the heat is re- stored to the surface, and the hot stage may be sup- posed approaching, a tablespoonful of castor oil may be given, and if necessary, repeated, until the bowels are opened. At this time, to abstract the stimulants as much as possible from the alimentary canal, a clys- ter of oruel and oil would seem desirable. o Ice, or other refrigerating applications to the head, particularly if heat was complained of, would be a probable means of relieving the distress, General Remarks on the Treatment.—I have now enumerated the different remedies which appear to me desirable in the treatment. It remains to point out, as far as I have omitted to do so, at what periods^they may be used. Bleeding and mercurial fumigation will, I think, be necessary and desirable, in whatever stage of the disease the patient may be first seen. The hot-air bath, stimulants, and narcotics, will be restricted to the cold stage. Ice to the head will pro- bably be used in the hot stage. But I chiefly rely on striking at the root of the disease, by the division of the scalp, to relieve the brain. This, with the hot- air bath, mercurial fumigation, and the very moderate and judicious use of stimulants and narcotics, will pro- bably cut short the disease during the first stage, the cold blue cholera, and save the patient from the se- cond and greater danger that awaits him in the hot stage. Particular Observations.—Having off ered these ge-