A dissertation on the anomalous cases of disease affecting the rectum and bladder : connected with a constipated state of the bowels, and retention of the urine : submitted to the examination of the provosts, trustees, and medical professors of the University of Pennsylvania, as a candidate for the degree of Doctor of Medicine / by John A. Elkinton, of New Jersey (March 3d, 1822.) ... : April 10th, anno MDCCCXXII.

  • Elkinton, John A.
Date:
October 1822
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A dissertation on the anomalous cases of disease affecting the rectum and bladder : connected with a constipated state of the bowels, and retention of the urine : submitted to the examination of the provosts, trustees, and medical professors of the University of Pennsylvania, as a candidate for the degree of Doctor of Medicine / by John A. Elkinton, of New Jersey (March 3d, 1822.) ... : April 10th, anno MDCCCXXII. 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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    cle, I should suppose it might be beneficial in those cases, attended with extreme foeter and putrescency. The indications for cure here are obvious. In the first place we are to endeavor to keep up the peris- taltic action by cathatic medicines; as Castor Oil, Senna, Rhubarb with Soap, or what has been found exceedingly beneficial, a combination of 10 grains of Jalap, with 20 grains, of Cream of Tartar, In addition to these injections are to be used, if they can be thrown into the bowels. The Warm Bath by inducing relaxation is of great use, and y.-as found singularly beneficial, in the case of the child last mentioned. The Lac Sulphuris and Magne- sia, might here answer a very good purpose. If we can trace the cause, to a want of bilious secretion, it would be proper to endeavor to excite the action of the liver, bv administering mercurial purges. To an- r this end, 5 grains of the blue pill given every other night, would seem to be the most appropriate remedy. These cases have appeared to me of rather unu- sual character; and as there would be a liability to confound such with diarrhoea, I have chosen more fully to impress them on my recollection, than to trouble you with any instruction, to be gained from their history, to make such the subject of my essay. I shall be excused descanting on the gravitating Tube of Dr. Wistar, by which he managed to puss injecting fluid up the intestines, in these cases; or to delineate the different resources of our art, which have been used, and which every skilled practitioner must be made sensible of, whenever he is to treat such a condition of the bowels. In some, we find mechanical means required to break down the ol- fending mass ; in others, the vis modi of medicine, alone counteract the malady ; or at least the vis vita;, or the action of the vital principle, overpowers it. Each of these I have endeavored to describe in their proper places; and I shall now proceed to detail a brief history, of a similar affection, substantiated ,r, parallel cases, which more frvv+W i boundaries of Surgery.