Is tracheotomy in true croup a justifiable operation? / by John O'Reilly.

  • O'Reilly, John.
Date:
[1862]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Is tracheotomy in true croup a justifiable operation? / by John O'Reilly. 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.)

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    I will quote Dr. Stokes' words on this matter: The cold- ness of the surface, the feebleness of the respiratory efforts, the failure of the pulse, the sinking of the eyes and the pallor of the countenance, all point out that the period for depletion has passed by. and that if there be any hope, it must be from the exhibition of stimulants—wine, brandy, opium and ammo- nia must be employed; hot turpentine stupes may be applied to the chest and extremities, and now and then the reward of the nil desperandum practice may be obtained. The mode of action of the remedies enumerated may require explanation. I will endeavor to demonstrate their curative agency: The beaf-tea increases the quantity and richness of the blood; the sweet milk whey also assists in the process of sanguification; the salt imparts vigor to the organic nervous system; the brandy imparts strength and vigor to the organic nervous system. It is thus manifest that these agents assist in the process of sanguification, as well as the recuperation of the organic nervous system, and in this way support and stimulate vital action, and enable it to throw off the poison which threatens its very existence. With respect to the external application of the turpentine, it is proper to state that the late Dr. De- wees placed great confidence in its efficacy. How does the turpentine act ? The medicinal agency of the turpentine is the same, whether given internally or applied externally. The turpentine excites a new action in the or- ganic glands, not only stimulating them, but arresting the pro- cess of secretion, as is well exemplified by the suppression of urine which follows when it is administered in doses not large enough to act on the patient's bowels, but rather stimulates the kidneys. Its mode of action as well as its power to re- move lymph can be seen in cases of syphilitic iritis, where, as shown by Dr. Hugh Carmichael, of Dublin, it arrests the deposition of lymph, and further promotes the absorption of the effused lymph. In puerperal fever, the late Dr. Brennan, of Dublin, has shown the utility of turpentine as a therapeutic agent in puerperal fever, in arresting the disease. In croup, it is evident, therefore, from these observations, that the tur- pentine possesses higher qualities than that of a stimulant: it