A view of the prevailing theories of inflammation : submitted to the consideration of the Honourable Robert Smith, provost, and the regents of the University of Maryland / by Philip R. Edelen, of St. Mary's County, Maryland ; honorary member of the Baltimore Medical Society.

  • Edelen, Philip R.
Date:
1815
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A view of the prevailing theories of inflammation : submitted to the consideration of the Honourable Robert Smith, provost, and the regents of the University of Maryland / by Philip R. Edelen, of St. Mary's County, Maryland ; honorary member of the Baltimore Medical Society. 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.)

    13/74
    THEORIES OF INFLAMMATION. Harvey's discovery was particularly adverse to the dominant opinions on the subject we are about to discuss; the existing Theories of Inflammation. Pre- vious to that event all inflammations were supposed to consist in Fluxions and Congestion. From both causes the same effect ensued, viz: obstruction. And the two terms, which have in fact a common meaning, were adopted as significant in the understanding of their authors, of the mode by which the consequence was pro- duced. Inflammation, from Fluxion, consisted in the flow of humors into a part they did not naturally occupy, and the inflammation was either simple, or received a specific appellation, as those humors were supposed to be natural, or charged with some foreign and noxious matter. Congestion was the imaginary stagnation of the natural humors of a part. Such were the general principles, the primary divi- sions of their theories of inflammation. A few trifling subdivisions were marked out; but to those two genera were referred all their reasoning upon the subject: all their discussions about the cause and cure of inflamma- tion. The natural or contingent qualities attributed to the humors, the immediate consequences of their deten- tion in a part, and the consecutive changes resulting from their seclusion and confinement, were the data by which were illustrated the condition of the part, and the phe- nomena of the disease. Those sentiments were grounded on the prevailing theories of physic. The blood and humors were supposed to have a diurnal revolution; their source and receptacle being in the liver. From this rendezvous they went abroad into the body in the day, and to it they returned at nieht. Let us not censure the authors of such opin-