An inaugural essay on eclampsia or puerperal convulsions : for the degree of doctor of physic : submitted to the consideration of the Honorable Robert Smith, Provost, and of the regents of the University of Maryland / by James Coudon, of Elkton, Maryland.

  • Coudon, James.
Date:
May, 1813
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An inaugural essay on eclampsia or puerperal convulsions : for the degree of doctor of physic : submitted to the consideration of the Honorable Robert Smith, Provost, and of the regents of the University of Maryland / by James Coudon, of Elkton, Maryland. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

    12/32
    stetric department of our science, as well as to the writers of the present day. Fostered by a Smellie, a Denman, a Baudeloeque, a Hamilton, a >Vhite and many others, the science could not fail to improve: and may we not come nearer to our own period and witness improvements in our own country, not less honourable to their advocates than beneiicial to science and humanity? Although medical science has boasted such able sup- porters, and has received such improvements, yet obser- vation and experience teach us, that much still remains to be done. From the numerous diseases incidental to pregnant and parturient women, I have selected Eclampsia for the subject of this Essay. Puerperal convulsions should be regarded as one of the most formidable diseases with which we have to contend, and one with which our acquaintance is as imperfect. The term Eclampsia was adopted by some of the an- cient nosologists as an appropriate name for this disease; to express, as the word implies, a sparkling of the eye, which forms one of its most prominent features; the best definition is given by Dr. Davidge, in his nosology; he defines it to be Violent convulsions, resembling epilep- tic paroxysms, preceded by severe pains of the head or giddiness, sometimes by the appearance of images or visible forms, and terminated by stupor or snoring; sudden- ly attacking pregnant or child-bed women. Dr. Cullen has, improperly, rejected the distinction between Eclamp- sia and Epilepsia, and has stricken it from his noso- logy- We are indebted to Dr. Hamilton, jun. of Edin- burgh, for the revival of the term,—long and attentive observation has convinced him of this error of Dr. Cul- len, and the propriety of retaining the distinction. It