A treatise on the practice of medicine / by John Eberle.

  • Eberle, John, 1787-1838.
Date:
1831
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A treatise on the practice of medicine / by John Eberle. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Lamar Soutter Library, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Lamar Soutter Library at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

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    use of stimulating drinks, particularly in connexion with an in- active and sedentary course of life, are especially calculated to increase the predisposition to this disease. Immoderate venereal indulgences at an advanced age; frequent, and long-continued warm bathing; a sudden change from an active or laborious to a quiet or indolent course of life; intense and protracted study; and the free use of strong coffee, are mentioned among the pre- disposing causes of this disease. 4. Various organic affections, such as aneurism of the aorta ; hypertrophy of the heart ; visceral indurations; and tumoui'S about the neck, increase the liability to apoplexy. The exciting causes of apoplexy are very numerous. In ge- neral, whatever produces inordinate determinations of blood to the head, or impedes its free return from the brain to the heart, may give rise to this disease. Over-distention of the stomach by immoderate eating, more especially if the ingesta are stimulating and of difficult digestion, and the digestive powers weak, is one of the most common and powerful exciting causes of apoplexy. The intemperate use of spirituous liquors, violent exertions in lifting, much straining in evacuating the feces, strong fits of coughing, sneezing, and great exertions in declaiming, playing on wind instruments, singing, laughing, or speaking, by causing sudden and strong determina- tions of blood to the head, may produce this disease in individu- als predisposed to it. Exposure to the direct rays of the sun in warm climates, gives rise to that sudden and fatal affection called stroke of the sun, and which is generally regarded as apoplexy. Extreme cold also is capable of producing this affection, by di- minishing the circulation in the external vessels, and causing strong internal congestions. Violent and sudden mental excite- ment, rage, excessive joy, terror, and deep sorrow, have been known to produce this disease. The suppression of habitual dis- charges, whether sanguineous or serous, may give rise to apoplexy. This is particularly the case with habitual hsemorrhoidal discharge or epistaxis in plethoric subjects. The healing up of old ulcers has a tendency also to produce this disease in persons otherwise predisposed to it, (Schmucker's Vermisch. Schriften. B. iii, p. 149 ;) and the neglect of customary venesection in full habits may tend to the same effect.* Stoll mentions the sudden disap- pearance of adema of the feet as an exciting cause of apoplexy, (Ratio. Medend. Pars. iii. p. 305.) Women in the puerperal state, are in some degree liable to apoplexy. Dr. Davis, of London, states that he has met with four or fiive apoplectic sei- zures and consequent hemiplegia in puerperal women. In all these cases, the habitus apoplecticus mentioned above, was pre- * yogel. Prrelectioiies Academ. § S58.